Face It All Together
by Periwinkle Skittles
Summary: Anybody ever wonder what Bruce's secret was to keeping calm during those years in India? Well, turns out that 'secret' was a friend of his. This is the story of how he meets that friend with special powers and how they stick together during the events of The Avengers. Oh, I forgot one little thing. His friend? Yeah, she's a mutant dog.
1. Chapter 1

**Wassup guys? I'm back with a new story! I've already written most of it out, so I'll just update every Sunday. My character is a female dog (a Great Dane/ Pitbull mix) that is all black, except for her chest and right paw. She is a mutant (a scientist did experiments on her) and so she's telekinetic and telepathic. The story starts out in India, btw**

**Just letting you guys know, this story will eventually contain some TonyXBruce fluff. If you don't like, don't read. **

**The title of this chapter is from Bruno Mars 'Runaway'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel or any of its characters**

Chapter One

Run, Run, Runaway

I wake up to darkness.

The ground is rumbling beneath me, jerking me up and down. I try to yelp, but my mind is so fogged with sleep that I barely even notice that I'm in a cage.

Ugh, I knew there was something funny about that meatball my owner gave me. I shouldn't have been stupid enough to believe that he didn't put something strange in it, something that made me go to sleep. My owner is a very bad man; he always fills my food and water with odd things called chemicals, and often runs these awful 'tests' on me. They hurt a lot, but he doesn't care.

He calls himself a _scientist. _Over and over, he will think to himself that this is for the greater good, that, although I'm in pain, it will all turn out better. For the _humans._

I know he thinks this because I'm a telepath. I can hear his thoughts, but they are often horrid, so I tend to stay in my own head.

I wasn't always able to read minds. It just came from all of his experimenting. I'm also stronger and faster than most dogs; my owner calls me a super soldier dog. I don't know what that means, but it seems pretty silly.

Recently, I've heard him thinking about visiting a place called India. Whenever I dared to stretch my mind out to his, I sometimes caught phrases, like 'visit other scientists' or 'keep the Feds off my scent' or 'drug the dog on the way'. I now know what the last one meant.

With a determined growl, I force my mind to wake up and look around. It's very dark, and I can barely see the bars of my cage. Narrowing my eyes, I wait for them to get used to the low light, and then peer at the other crates across from mine.

They're filled with dogs, which are all sleeping. I've never seen them before, so I don't think they belong to my owner.

"Guys," I bark, trying to get their attention, "Guys, wake up! Where are we?"

The dog in the crate in front of me stirs at the sound of my voice, but simply shifts his head and mutters, "Hush, pup." A few moments later, he's snoring again.

I frown, giving myself a shake to ward off sleepiness. Heaving myself to my paws, I wobble for a second, and then the ground beneath me lurches once more and I fall back to the floor.

Grunting, I let out another bark, "They gave you sleeping pills! Wake up! We're in cages and the ground is moving!"

None of the dogs awaken.

I crouch down low, fear making me tremble. I have no idea where I am, or why the floor is shaking, or where my owner is.

Taking a deep breath, I set my gaze on the lock of my cage. With all my might, I will it to unlock, or at least break. I've only just recently discovered my telekinesis, right after a particularly painful experiment. I don't know how to fully use it, yet, and my owner doesn't even know about my new power.

And I'm not going to let him find out.

Just as the metal around the lock starts bending, I notice the ground slowly stop rumbling. Silence fills the air, which is heavy and cold.

Soon, I hear voices yelling outside. I stand up cautiously and prick my ears. Suddenly, a door is wrenched open and light floods into the room of cages. I flinch and squint my eyes, trying to see through the blinding light.

"Come on, boys!" I hear a rough, human voice shout in strange language. I think it's called Hindi. My owner sometimes speaks it with certain people.

"We've gotta get these animals to their owners immediately!" the man orders, and I jump in surprise as a person enters the room and grabs a crate. I can't see what he does with it then, but he continues to grab cages.

Thinking quick, I curl up in my crate and pretend to be asleep. It's a little hard to stay awake, mainly because the sleeping pill is trying to drag me into unconsciousness, but I force my mind to be alert.

I hear the cage next to me leave, and before I know it, I'm being lifted into the air. I tense up, watching as the person carries me towards the door, and I see a slide-like thing attached to the edge. The ground drops way below the room I'm in, and I see a bunch of people milling around dutifully.

Biting back a yelp, I let myself be put on the slide and pushed down. My stomach lurches as I skid down the slope, gaining speed before slamming into the other crates at the bottom. Another man pushes my crate onto a moving platform.

Peering through the bars of my cage, I see a wide expanse of land filled with concrete and grasses, as well as odd, large, metal things. I sneak into one of the humans' mind for a moment and learn that these objects are called planes.

I watch as one of these planes starts picking up speed in the distance, and then, to my amazement, it starts _flying. _My eyes widen, and I glance at the plane that I just came out of. Did I fly while I was asleep?

Then, I notice a fence in the far distance, way past all the planes and runways. Oh, perfect! A way out!

I turn my gaze on the lock again, willing it to unlock. The metal slowly bends, and then suddenly the door springs open. Immediately, I jump out of my cage and shake my black and white pelt, relishing my new freedom.

"Hey!" I hear a human shout in Hindi and glance over my shoulder to see a man pointing at me. His shout catches the attention of other humans, and one yells, "Get it! Get the dog!"

Whirling around, I dash away with the humans chasing after me. My enhanced speed carries me across the ground as fast as the wind, and I hear the people shouting in surprise behind me. Sprinting over a pothole in the concrete, I run across a road and onto one of the grassy areas. A plane is roaring down the runway in front of me, so I skid to a halt and look around.

A car is racing towards me, with a few of the men inside of it. I've never seen a car leave the road before, so it shocks me when I see it start driving over the grass.

Turning, I run the opposite way, alongside the runway. The wind from the airplane makes my ears throb, but soon it's in the air and I race across the concrete.

As I run, I look for a quick route to the fence, which looks a long way off now. I hear voices shout behind me again and amble over a grassy area. When I run across another runway, a sharp pebble stabs my paw and I stumble.

Limping towards the next grass area, I give my paw a quick lick and continue running towards the fence. A car is driving down the road in front of me, which is empty of planes. Two men jump out of it and run towards me.

I yelp and swerve to my right, sending grass and dirt into the air. Putting some distance between us, I dash across yet another runway, feeling myself begin to tire.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see humans either running or driving towards me, getting closer as I lose speed. Suddenly, one shouts in terror, "Stop!"

I look forward again and notice I'm bounding across a runway. With a jolt, I realize that a plane is rushing towards me and freeze in fear. Crouching down, I squeeze my eyes shut and wait for the end.

For some reason, though, the plane never hits me. I hear the sound of screeching metal and slowly open my eyes. The plane has stopped barely a foot away from me, its nose crushed as if some force pushed against it.

My eyes widen as I realize that it was my telekinesis that stopped it from hitting me. This new power must be more focused on emotions than will.

Looking to my right, I see the humans staring at me, jaws agape. Using their surprise to my advantage, I whirl around and dash towards the fence, which is much closer now.

Skidding to a halt at the base of it, I immediately start digging as fast as I can. Behind me, I hear the humans recovering from their shock and running towards me. Whining, I dig faster, but my worn out paws start to ache.

Soon, the humans are right behind me and I feel hands grab my hindquarters. "Oh, no you don't, you little rascal!" the man says, pulling me out of the small hole I made. I wriggle and kick with all my might and manage to worm out of his grip.

I don't know if my emotions caused it, or perhaps it was just that I was pushing so hard, but I ram into the fence and the wires bend backwards, creating a hole for me to slip through. The wires scrape my sides, and I feel pain erupt from my forepaw. Ignoring it, I dive into the group of trees just outside of the fence with the humans yelling behind me.

Once I feel like I put enough space between us, I slow down and collapse onto the floor. Blood leaks from two cuts on my right paw, which is the only white paw I have, as the others are black.

I whine in pain and lick it, wincing at the sting. As I continue to lick it, the pain starts to go away until it's only a faint throb.

Sighing, I stand up and carefully test my weight on it. It doesn't hurt too badly, and it's not as painful as any of the other experiments I've gone through.

I warily walk forward, trying to not put too much weight on it. Sounds reach my ears, and I notice a city beyond the group of trees I'm in. It sounds different than the cities I'm used to, and curiosity drives me onward.

When I reach the edge of the trees, I see that the city _looks _different as well. There are tall buildings, which look both similar and different from the ones back home. A bunch of little human stands and other things line the streets, making the place look very busy. Even though it's late at night, there is still a good number of people out and roaming around.

I blink and tilt my head. This place is odd, but nice in a way. At least I won't be alone, with only my owner…

Speaking of my owner, I've never been anywhere, except my cage, without him. This whole thing is so new- I've never been on my own before. I don't have a place to sleep, and I don't know where to find food, or _how _to find food, or-

Suddenly, a tantalizing scent fills my nose and stops my train of thought. Before I know it, I'm leaving the group of trees and following the scent. It leads me past a building and into an alleyway, where a group of people sit by the end. There are a bunch of boxes and other human junk just laying around in the alley, but the place still smells better than a chemical-filled lab.

Following the delicious scent, I start walking towards one of the boxes and sniff inside of it. All of the sudden, something rams into my side and knocks me off my paws.

I yelp in surprise as I'm pinned to the ground. A harsh dog voice growls in my ear, "Back off! This is my food! Mine! I smelled it first!"

"I'm sorry!" I whine, my heart thumping, "I didn't know! I don't want any trouble!"

The dog on top of me growls, and then lets me up. I scramble to my paws and gaze at my attacker. He's much bigger than me, with matted grey and black fur that's missing in some places. His ear is torn, and he looks like he's been in a lot of fights. It also looks like he's starving, because I can see his bones pretty clearly.

"I-I'm sorry." I apologize again, crouching low, "I'm kind of new here-"

"Yeah, you _are_." the dog interrupts, sniffing my flank. I stand still, my muscles tense. Stepping away, the dog huffs and sits down, "You should watch yourself, kid. A pet like you could get in trouble with packs. Where's your owner, anyway?"

The dog seems a little bit friendlier, so I relax slightly and say, "I don't have one anymore. I just ran away."

"Ah," he nods, "So you're a stray now."

"I guess?"

"Well, then you need to get rid of that collar." the dog says. I tilt my head, "Why?"

"Because street dogs won't take you seriously while you have it," he replies, scratching an ear with his hind leg, "And if your owner comes looking for you, you'll be on a leash before you know it. Here, I'll help."

Before I can stop him, the dog grabs my collar in his jaws and starts chewing on it. With a few sharp jerks and tugs, my collar finally breaks and falls to the floor.

"There." he says, stepping away, "Now you look like a stray. And a tough one too, ya know, you being a Fight Dog and all."

I frown, "Fight Dog?"

The dog looks at me and says, "I think humans call them Pitbulls? They used to use them for fighting and stuff. You look a little like one."

"Oh." I look at my paws. Just then, my stomach rumbles and the dog gives me a sharp look. I duck my head in embarrassment and watch as he starts nosing through the boxes. Five golden, delicious-smelling balls roll out and onto the street floor. I eye them anxiously, wanting to eat one but scared in case the dog will be aggressive.

Peeking into his mind, I see that he has no intent of hurting me, but he doesn't necessarily like me. That relaxes me a bit more, and I watch as he lets out a growl and rolls two of the balls towards me.

"Eh, here you go." he grumbles before scarfing down the other three. I eat my two, savoring their sweet, lingering flavor and lick my chops, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it, kid." he says, straightening up, "Now you'd better find some place to sleep. A gang of dogs like to roam around these parts, and I'd hate to see what they'd do to a young female like you." He huffs, "Even if you _are _part Fight Dog."

With that, he turns around and trots towards the group of trees I came from. I think of calling after him, but then I remember seeing in his mind that he prefers to travel alone. Sighing, I turn the opposite way and walk towards the city.

A cluster of people huddle at the edge of the alleyway, sleeping, and I walk past them. A human and her stand of human toys blocks the exit of the alley, so I have to squeeze by her to get past.

In the city, I find myself in the midst of walking people and driving cars. Many little stands, ramshackle huts, and other makeshift homes line the sidewalks. Most of the stands are empty, their humans having gone to sleep, but a few are still open.

I trot along the sidewalk, gazing up in awe at the strange, yet beautiful city filled with lights and various colors. A human mother with her sleeping child walk past me, and I notice her flinching away from me. I peer into her mind and pick up aggressive thoughts. Huffing, I continue down the sidewalk.

The scent of meat reaches my nose and I perk up, following the scent. It leads me to a family of disheveled-looking humans sitting outside of a building. They're eating odd, triangular, bread-like things that look like they're filled with something.

My nose twitches and I approach them carefully. A large male notices me and tenses up, alerting the rest of his family. I crouch down and crawl towards them, trying to show that I mean no harm.

The male stares at me for a moment, and then sighs and tosses one of the bread things to me. I scarf it down hungrily, realizing that it's stuffed with meat.

Looking up, I see that the male human and his mate have a child. The young human squirms out of his mother's grasp and points at me, shouting in Hindi, "Puppy!"

His mother pulls him back, "Leave the dog alone! She might be aggressive."

The child pouts, but then erupts into a fit of coughing. His parents share a worried look, and I notice that the whole family seems thinner than the other families passing by.

Tilting my head, I sigh and move on. My muscles ache with weariness, and my injured paw is sore and hurting. I've got to find a place to rest.

Trudging onward, I dodge humans while looking around. The whole place seems pretty crowded, and yet there are plenty of nooks and crannies to sleep in, if you know where to look.

I spot a small, ragged dog sleeping underneath a bench and swerve away from it. That spot's taken.

Walking into a wide, lit up alleyway, I see a man sleeping on some stairs. There doesn't seem to be any space for me to sleep in, so I move on.

My search goes on for a little while. Occasionally I see dogs snoozing in some comfortable-looking area, but I know better than to ask if I can share their space. As I continue, I notice that humans here are either poor and hungry, or rich and healthy. The poor don't bother me as I pass by, and eventually I find myself in some sort of neighborhood.

A few of the houses are gated, and I wearily jump over a fence. This human's territory contains two houses, one bigger, and the other smaller and more shack-like. I find this strange, because I've only ever seen one house in a yard before.

Maybe they don't use the second one as much? Trodding towards it, I rear up on my hind legs and peer through a window.

A few lights are on, showing the interior and less-than-fancy furniture. However, I see no people inside, so I stare at the bottom of the window and close my eyes, trying to use my telekinesis. It takes a few tries, but eventually the window slides open and I hop into the room.

Promptly, I sigh and lay down on the ground. My shoulders droop tiredly and I stretch my white paw out to lick it. The wound has stopped bleeding a long time ago, and I can see it beginning to scab over.

Sighing again, I lay my head on the floor and close my eyes.

Almost immediately, I hear footsteps coming from another room, and water that I didn't even know was on being shut off. Biting back a yelp, I scramble to my feet and look around.

A bed rests in the corner of the room, and I quickly dart over to it and slide underneath. Moments later, a man walks out of another room, smelling of water and soap. I hold my breath as he takes something out of a basket- clothes, I think- and puts them on himself. Then, he walks over to the bed and pauses.

A human face appears as the man bends over, peering at my position underneath the bed. He has wavy, light brown hair and dark brown eyes behind wire glasses.

"Oh, no," he mutters in English, "Oh, no, no, no. Come on, get out from under there." He kneels down a few feet away and claps his hands, "Come on! Mr. Aadi specifically said that I can't have any dogs in here."

He claps his hands again and gazes at me expectantly. I stare at him, stretching my mind out to his.

I learn that he's a sort of doctor, and American. He's worried that somebody named Mr. Aadi will make him leave if he finds out that I'm here. Apparently he just rented this 'guest house'. But the most interesting thing is that I sense something else in his mind, something… abnormal. As if there's another consciousness within his own.

When I try to get close to that conscience, though, a growl forces me out and I blink in surprise. What an unusual man!

Said man stares at me for a few moments, and then mutters, "You're not going to budge, are you?"

I huff and rest my head on my paws.

The man sighs and says, "One night, that's it." He stands up, and his face disappears from my sight. I hear him climb onto the bed above me and settle down.

"No barking or howling in the middle of the night, alright?" he says, and then stops moving, "That stuff annoys me, and you don't want to get on my bad side. I'm not good with anger."

The man falls silent, and a few minutes later I hear him snoring gently. I keep my eyes open for a little longer.

This human interests me- I can tell that his mind is different. I want to learn more about that second consciousness, and try to not get forced out again. Hmm, I wonder what that thing was? It sounded animalistic. He's not possessed or anything, right?

My mind is still racing, but I know that I won't be able to answer any of my questions tonight. Sighing, I curl up and rest my head on my paws.

It couldn't hurt to stay with this man. I don't have my owner anymore, and I don't know much about the streets, so why not?

With my mind made up, I close my eyes and fall asleep.

**I'm assuming you guys have figured out who the man is. Alrighty, then, I don't have much to say, actually. **

**Until next week!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	2. Chapter 2

**And here I am with chapter two! There shall be more interaction between my character (whose name you shall discover) and Bruce in this chappie!**

**The title of this chapter is from Birdy 'Strange Birds'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Two

You've Always Loved the Strange Birds

When I wake up, light is pouring into the house. I blink in confusion for a moment, wondering where I am. Then, I remember the events that happened yesterday and jerk awake.

The bed above me hits my head and I grunt, wincing in pain. Rolling onto my belly, I slowly crawl out into the open and look around. The man is not in his bed, but I smell the scent of food coming from another room.

Walking over, I nudge the door aside and enter a kitchen. The man is setting something up on the table, putting multiple objects inside. I walk closer and let out a bark.

He jumps in surprise and whirls around, one hand clutching his chest. When he sees me he lets out a sigh and says, "Oh. I forgot about you."

I sit down and stare at him. The man grabs a plate from the counter and puts it on the ground, "Here, have some scraps, and then scram." The plate has a few shreds of bread, as well as some yellow meat. It tastes strange, but I eat it anyways.

When I'm done, I look up at him again.

"What?" he asks, and then crosses his arms, "I'm not keeping you, girl. Go back to roaming around on the streets." He walks over to a door and opens it, revealing the outside world. The man looks at me expectantly, but I simply scratch the back of my head with a hind leg.

"See?" he says, gesturing to me, "You probably have fleas. I don't need those little bugs in here." When I don't move, he waves his hands, "Go on, shoo!"

You know, for a doctor, he really isn't that bright. Haven't I made it clear that I'm not leaving? Huffing, I flop onto my side and look away.

The man sighs, looking impatient, and then says, "Fine. Whatever. I have to go." He walks over to the table, grabs the bag he was packing, and exits the house. I watch him leave, and then hop to my paws.

He's not getting away from me _that _easily.

I nudge the door open and then dash out onto the yard. The man is outside of the fence and walking down the sidewalk. I leap over the gate and land on the concrete hard, making me grunt. Thankfully, he doesn't seem to hear me, so I silently walk behind him.

As we start to exit the neighborhood and enter the city, I try to stretch my mind out to his. Once again, I learn more about him. He used to be a scientist for some soldier experiment, but something went wrong. I hear the words 'gamma rays' a lot, and mentally see a flash of green. Plus, I learn that his name is Bruce Banner. Hmm, I like that name.

Right now, he's thinking about a sick client he has to visit nearby. He's also considering buying a bicycle soon.

I tilt my head as I walk behind him. He seems like a nice man. At least a lot nicer than my old owner.

As we get deeper into the city, I find myself walking closer to him in order to not get lost in the crowd. I jump in surprise as a large brown cow with horns suddenly sniffs my flank. When I growl at it, the cow only moos and turns away.

Scoffing, I dart after Bruce. Re-entering his mind, I try approaching that second conscience again. As soon as I get close to it, however, it pushes me away with an angry growl.

Then, to my surprise, it _speaks_. "**Dog." **it rumbles, "**Smash annoying dog."**

In front of me, Bruce suddenly halts and I bump into him. Oops. He whirls around and stares at me, "Ugh, really?" The scientist waves his hands, looking a little irritated, and shoos, "Go away! I'm not your owner!"

His voice is soft, but I can tell he's trying to control his patience. The second conscience is growing angry and growling inaudibly.

I blink and prick my ears curiously. Bruce stops and puts a hand to his head, taking a deep breath. He looks a little stressed, so I try to help by sending soothing thoughts to his mind. Gradually, the grumbling conscience fades away and Bruce drops his hand.

He gives me an odd look, and then turns around and continues walking. I trot after him, my tail wagging. Five minutes later, he stops in front of an old building and I manage to not bump into him this time.

Bruce climbs up the stairs and knocks on the door. I pause behind him, wondering if he even knows that I'm still following him.

A few moments later, a woman opens the door and smiles at him. "Dr. Banner?" she asks in Hindi and he nods. The woman steps back and gestures inside, "Right this way."

He enters the house and she walks after him. Before the door can close, I slip inside and follow them.

The woman leads us into a room where a man is laying in a bed. His eyes are closed, and there is a towel on his head.

Bruce sets his bag down next to the bed and takes something out. He sticks it into the man's mouth and the ill person lets out a groan.

"This started about a week ago." the woman says, sounding nervous, "I think it was something he ate. Ever since then, he's been having headaches and fevers and…" She trails off, staring at her husband worriedly.

Bruce takes the thing out of the man's mouth and frowns. I sit down beside a small table, slightly out of sight, and watch. He turns to the woman and asks, "Has he been having diarrhea and a poor appetite?"

She nods, "And he's been so weak…"

The doctor nods and reaches into his bag. Tilting my head, I peek into his mind. Apparently, the man has something called typhoid fever. This concerns Bruce a little bit, but he knows he has the right medication.

Suddenly, I hear the door open and light footsteps come running towards us. "Mama!" A young female voice calls out in Hindi and I glance over as little girl runs into the room, "Is Papa better yet?"

"Feni!" the woman scolds, glancing over at her, "Your father needs silence. Go to your room!"

"But-" the child begins to protest, and then notices me. Her face lights up, "Puppy!" She runs over to me and kneels down, stretching a hand out carefully. I sniff it, and then let her pet me.

Both Bruce and the woman look over at me. The woman seems surprised, but Bruce grimaces.

"Is this your dog?" she asks as Feni pets me. Bruce glances at her, and then at me, then back at her.

"Uhhh, yeah." He replies cautiously, "Yes, she is. She, uh, keeps the family of the patient calm."

"Oh." The woman walks over to me and scratches my head. I let out a pleased rumble, liking the attention I'm getting.

Bruce gives me a thoughtful look, and then turns back to the sick man. Meanwhile, the woman sits down next to me and I rest my head on her knee. She smiles and says, "She's sweet. I guess I _do _feel a bit better."

"Right." Bruce turns around and hands something to her, "You can give these to him to ease his digestive system. Two pills a day, preferably after a meal. And these," he hands her a bag of white pills, "Will kill the bacteria that caused the disease. Give one to him before he goes to sleep. He should feel better in a few days. If he doesn't recover in a week, contact me and I'll try something else."

"Okay." the woman says, standing up. Feni and I watch as she walks over to the kitchen and puts them in a cabinet.

"Feni, you are not to eat those." she tells her daughter as she comes back.

"I won't." Feni promises, running her hand down my back. My tail wags and I lick her cheek. She laughs and says, "Oh, she's so cute!" I grunt as she smothers me in a hug.

Her mother tilts her head and looks at me, "Is she a Pitbull?"

"Uh," Bruce stampers, walking over to me, "I-I think so. She might have some Great Dane in her, too."

I huff, not knowing what a Great Dane is, but recalling what that dog told me about Pitbulls. Giving my white chest a lick, I stand up and sit next to Bruce. I look up and he smiles a little, bending down to scratch behind my ear.

"She's going to be big when she grows up, then." the woman comments, and then suddenly shakes her head, as if remembering something, "Anyway, what should I feed him? He won't eat very much, and his stomach will barely hold anything."

Bruce hums, thinking about it, and then says, "I suggest various fruits. Nothing too heavy, but they have sugars to give him energy."

"Alright." she nods, and then smiles, "Thank you so much, Dr. Banner. Here, I'll get your payment." She turns around and walks into her kitchen. Meanwhile, Feni waves goodbye to me and runs off towards her room.

I look up just as Bruce looks down at me. He has a considerate expression on his face. Quickly, I poke into his mind and learn that he's thinking about keeping me around. My tail thumps on the ground and I let my tongue hang out.

He laughs a little and pets my head.

"Here." The woman returns, handing him a wad of green paper. I tilt my head in confusion, but Bruce takes it gratefully, "Thank you."

"Thank _you_." she repeats, and then leads the way to the door. She opens it for us and waves as we walk out.

"Well, well, well." Bruce says once we're out of earshot. I trot by his side and look up at him. He gazes at me, "Aren't you the attention-lover?"

I let my tongue hang out, gazing up at him hopefully. He sighs and says, "Well, you don't seem to want to leave me alone anytime soon, so I guess you can tag along with me for a while."

Happiness flutters in my heart and I let out a bark, nudging his leg. He laughs, but suddenly bumps into a passing human. We walk around two cows and my new owner says, "I'd better get you a leash, though, or you'll get lost in all of this." He gestures to the crowd.

I jerk my head and jump out of the way of a running little kid. Bruce looks around, and then spots something in the distance, "There. Come on." He snaps his fingers and I blink in surprise, stopping.

When he realizes that I'm not following, he turns around and snaps his fingers again, "Come on, girl." I tilt my head. Does him snapping mean he wants me to follow him? He snaps again, and I glance around before walking towards him.

"Good, girl." He pats my head. Turning around, I follow the doctor as he leads me towards the end of the sidewalk. We wait for the cars to pass, and then cross the street. Bruce approaches a stand full of odd colorful ropes and I trot after him.

"Hello," the man running the stand greets in Hindi, "How can I help you?"

"Hi. I need a collar and a leash for my dog." Bruce replies, and the man smiles. He gestures to a smaller table a foot away and Bruce moves towards it. I rear up on my hind legs and put my forepaws on his leg so I can see what's on the table, but he pushes me off.

"No," Bruce scolds gently, shaking a finger at me, "No jumping on people." I blink and sit down. He nods and turns back to the table. After a moment, he picks something up and I recognize it as a collar.

It's bright orange with a golden buckle on one side. I tilt my head, and he asks, "What do you think?"

I huff and try putting my front paws on his leg so I can see the other collars on the table, but he pushes me off again.

"No," he says a little more sternly, "Sit." I frown, but obey his orders and sit down. He puts the collar back on the table and grabs another one. This one is black with spikes sticking out of it.

"Um, no, right?" Bruce asks, raising an eyebrow. I let out a snort and he puts it back, "I'll take that as a yes."

He gazes at the table for a few moments, and then holds out another one, "How about this?" This collar is black, like the one before, but thinner and it has purple designs. Bruce seems to like it, because it tries putting it around my neck. I sit still, feeling the collar clip on, and he pulls back.

"That looks good." he says, and then unclips it. He gives it to the man, "I'll take this one."

"Wonderful." the man smiles, "And a leash?"

Bruce hums, looking at something on the table, "Umm… she's still a little young, so we'll get a harness. Here."

He grabs a light turquoise harness and puts it on me. I've never worn one before, but I like how it hugs my chest and back. I hear Bruce think he likes it, I mean, in his _mind, _and he moves to take it off. As he does, I lick his cheek and he grimaces.

"Let's try to reduce the licking, too, please." he says, handing the harness to the man. I shift my weight as he pays for the collar and the harness, and then kneels down next to me again. Pulling off the price tag, he clips the collar around my neck, and then puts on the harness.

"She looks good in that." the man running the stand comments. Bruce smiles and thanks him. Then, he leads me along the sidewalk.

"Come on." he says, "I've got to get home and do some work on the computer. By the way," he gives me a look, "I'm not supposed to have dogs in that house, so don't bark, or we'll both be on the streets."

I jerk my head in understanding.

As we walk back to the guest house Bruce is staying in, I can't stop my tail from wagging. I finally have a chance to be a normal dog with normal food and all the other things I've dreamed of. No more experiments for me!

A laying cow moos at me as we pass by. I snort, and then notice a group of dogs in the alleyway behind it.

There's about four big ones that look like they're on the same side because they're ganging up on another dog. It takes me a moment to realize that he's the same dog that helped me yesterday when I first entered the city. This must be the pack of strays he was talking about.

I try to stop, but Bruce pulls on my harness and drags me along. Glancing over my shoulder, I watch as one of the pack dogs lunges forward and gives the dog that helped me a hard nip.

Anger flares in my heart, and suddenly the lid of a trash can flies towards them, knocking the pack to the ground. The good dog jumps in surprise, but quickly turns around and runs away.

I look forward again, feeling happy. I'm starting to like this telekinesis thing.

Walking a bit ahead of Bruce, I stare at a fallen fruit on the ground. It stays still for a moment, and then rolls away. I bite back a yelp of triumph, slowing down and walking beside Bruce. I can't let him know about my telekinesis, nor my telepathy. I mean, he's a nice guy, but he also used to be a scientist. I don't want him to get too curious.

Soon, the city turns into neighborhoods, and I recognize the double-housed yard. Bruce glances over the fence, and then says, "I don't think Mr. Aadi is home yet. Let's go."

He opens the gate and we quickly sneak over to the guest house. Bruce closes the door behind him, and then takes off my harness.

"Alright." he says, walking out of the kitchen and into his bedroom. I follow him, watching as he sits down on his bed.

"So, I have a dog now," he says, mostly to himself, "We've gotta lay down some rules before you can live here."

I prick my ears and jump onto the bed next to him. He frowns and gently pushes me off, "Rule number one: No jumping on furniture."

I huff and sit down in front of him. "Rule number two," he says, "No barking, licking, or digging. Barking annoys me, licking annoys me, and if you dig, I have to pay for property damage, _and _Mr. Aadi will find out I'm keeping a dog."

He sighs, and then says, "You can tag along with me when I go to heal people, but you _can't _get in the way of my work. Because that gets me angry, and when I get angry, bad things happen."

I lean forward and nudge his leg, snuffling at his feet. "I'm talking to a dog," he mutters, "You've finally lost it, Banner."

He shakes his head, stands up, and walks into the kitchen. I hear him grab something, and then he returns with a computer in his hand. He sits back down on the bed and opens his computer.

I curl up and lay my head between my paws, listening to him tapping his keyboard. I want to try and visit that second conscience again, but before I can, Bruce says, "I have to give you a name, by the way."

I wag my tail to show I heard him and he continues, "Hmm… how about Maggie?" My nose wrinkles. Maggie? I don't think that's a good name- at least, not for me.

Snorting, I shake my head. Bruce hums, and then suggests, "Raven? Nah, that's a little dark. Hmm… Charlie?"

I groan and roll over so I can face him. He glances at me, and then at his computer, "Maybe I can find a good name on the internet." His fingers begin to fly over the keyboard and I stand up, putting my forepaws on the bed so I can see the screen. Bruce pauses to push me away, "Off."

Huffing, I sit down and gaze at him. He clicks something, and then stares at the screen.

"Hmm… Faye, Unity, Gabby- oh, Vixen's kind of nice, right?" He glances at me, and then shakes his head. He continues to stare at the screen for a long time, occasionally clicking something, but mostly just staring.

I tilt my head, gazing at him. Shuffling my paws, I slowly stretch my mind out to his. Pushing past his thoughts, I venture towards the second conscience. It growls as I approach, but before I can do anything, Bruce suddenly says, "Amity."

Snapping out of his mind, I focus on what he said. "Amity," he repeats, looking at me, "Amity's a good name." He pushes the computer off his lap and stands up. Walking over to the corner of the room, he turns around and pats his legs, "Come here, Amity."

I tilt my head the other way. He pats his legs again, "Here, Amity!" When I simply stand still, he snaps his fingers. Perking up, I trot towards him. He smiles and scratches my head, "Good girl, Amity."

Peeking into his mind, I hear happy thoughts and my tail wags. Amity. Is that what he's calling me? I like it!

Bruce rubs my floppy, cropped ear between two fingers and then moves back to his bed, "Alright, Amity. I've got to work now." He opens his computer again and starts tapping on it.

I flop onto my side, content warming my heart. Sighing, I close my eyes, the sound of clicking keys lulling me to sleep.

**Please leave a review if you liked this chapter. And if not... well, I guess you could still leave a review if you want, but at least be polite**

**Until next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	3. Chapter 3

**New week, new chapter! There's kind of a time-jump here, so this is a few weeks later and Bruce and Amity are already good friends. **

**The title of this chapter is from Creature Feature 'Bad Blood'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Three

It's No Use, I Can't Control It

_A few weeks later…_

I wake up to something hard slamming into my back. A soft body falls over me and I hear someone grunt.

Sighing, I open my eyes. Bruce is lying on the ground next to me, rubbing his head. His legs are bent over my back, and his rump is partially in my dog bed.

"Ugh," Bruce groans, pulling away from me and standing up, "Why do you always sleep there, girl?" He leans down and grabs the end of my dog bed. I watch as he pulls me father away from his own bed, grunting, "Not right next to mine, or I'll always trip on you."

I scoff and sit up. This happens often. Almost every morning, actually. I'll be sleeping, and then Bruce's alarm clock will wake him up, and then he'll stand up and trip over me, and then _I'll _wake up. He's _my _alarm clock.

Of course, he will repeatedly move my bed away, but I always drag it back next to him. What can I say- we have a strong bond, and I don't like being away from him.

Bruce walks over to his dresser and takes out a fresh pair of shorts and a baby blue short-sleeved shirt. I avert my eyes as he changes so he doesn't feel awkward. For some reason, whenever humans (or at least Bruce) changes clothes in front of some other being, they feel self-conscious and uncomfortable. Humans bemuse me.

A few minutes later, Bruce brushes past me and enters the kitchen. I follow him, and then approach my dog bowl. Bruce got it for me a while ago, saying something about not wanting me to eat off the floor, or on the table.

I look up as my owner bends down and fills my bowl with dry dog food. Once pulls away, I start scarfing down my food hungrily. When I first tried them, the dry pebbles tasted strange in my mouth, but I had just shrugged it off, thankful that they weren't contaminated with chemicals. I still prefer human food, though.

As I eat, Bruce makes himself his morning meal, which he calls 'breakfast'. Making some toast with jam on it, he pours orange juice into a cup and sits down at the table.

I crunch up the last few pebbles of dog food, and then lap up chemical-free water. Ahh, I don't miss my old owner one bit.

Having had my fill of both food and water, I turn around and lay down at Bruce's feet.

"We've got a long day ahead of us, Amity." he says, taking a bite of toast and reading a paper, "So, I hope you got a good night's sleep."

I let out a groan and roll onto my side, nudging his legs with the back of my head. He chuckles softly and reaches down to pet my white chest. I practically purr.

Once he's finished breakfast he gets up and washes his plate. I stay underneath the table as he packs his medical bag for today's clients. Then, he makes sure his hair is neat, and then snaps his fingers, "Amity."

I hop to my paws and trot to his side. He puts on my harness, and then together we leave the house.

This little routine has happened almost every day since I've been here.

We walk through our neighborhood, which gradually melts away into the city. Even though it's a little early, the streets are already filled with people.

As we enter the crowd, I feel thankful for my harness. Of course, I would never try run away from Bruce, but I know that I would get lost without it.

I flinch away as a person's foot nearly crushes my paw. Humans can be so clumsy sometimes! I glance back at the person, but then turn ahead.

"So," Bruce says, making me look up at him, "Right now, we're going to take a bus to one of my patients' house, and then I've volunteered with some other doctors to give medical attention to the poor."

My tail wags happily and I rub my muzzle on his leg. He's such a nice man, caring for the less fortunate even when he knows he won't get paid.

We walk for about ten minutes, and then Bruce stops at a street corner. I tilt my head, confused, and sit down next to him. A few minutes later, I notice people starting to gather around us and realize that this must be where the bus is coming.

As if to prove my point, a loud honk rings out, making me jump in surprise. A blue and yellow bus drives towards us, spewing grey smoke on one end. It stops in front of us and I wrinkle my nose at the stench it carries.

The door opens and people start filing in, completely oblivious to the smell. Bruce walks towards it, but I stay sitting.

He glances at me and says, "Come on, Amity."

I stare at him, my nose scrunched up.

"Come on, it's alright." he reassures, giving my harness a tug. I shoot the bus a doubtful look. It does not look _alright. _

Bruce pulls me again and I gaze into his eyes. Peeking into his mind, I learn that he really is telling the truth, and that buses are safe. He also thinks that the smell is bothering me, and he's right.

Whining, I stand up and cautiously hop onto the bus. The dirty, metal floor feels odd on my paws, but I follow Bruce as he hands something to the driver and then walks past him. Rows of seats filled with people line the walls, and rusty silver poles stick out from the ceiling to the ground.

Bruce quickly finds an empty seat and plops down on it. I sit in front of him and rest my head on his knee. He looks down at me, and I make the most pitiful face as possible.

"Oh, don't give me those puppy-dog eyes." he mutters, scratching my head. He rubs my ear between two fingers and I nuzzle into his hand. "It'll be quick, I promise."

Beneath me, the bus starts rumbling and then moves. I whimper, shoving my face between Bruce's knees. He sighs and leans back, one hand caressing my head.

The ground lurches and I squeeze my eyes shut. Next to Bruce, I hear a woman laugh, "Is she afraid of buses?"

"Apparently." he replies, amusement in his voice. I give a disgruntled huff, annoyed that they find this funny.

The ride goes on with my head between his knees the entire time. At every teetering turn, I grit my teeth and try to dig my claws into the metal floor, to no avail.

After fifteen minutes, my stomach stops churning with anxiety and I slowly lift up my head. Bruce smiles at me and asks, "Are you alright now?"

I almost wag my tail. Almost.

Suddenly, the ground jolts and I yelp in surprise, fear fluttering in my heart. Just then, the bus screeches to a halt, throwing everyone forward. They all glance around in confusion and the driver stands up.

"Alright, everybody," he says, "I'm going to go see what the problem is. Stay inside." With that, he turns and leaves.

I wince, knowing that my telekinesis is what stopped the bus. Standing up, I look at Bruce and turn around in a circle. He pulls on my harness, trying to get me to sit, but I pull back. I keep on pulling him, eventually making him stand up as well.

"Okay, okay!" he says, grabbing his bag, "We're almost at our stop, anyway." I yelp in relief and drag him towards the front of the bus.

"Amity!" Bruce hisses through gritted teeth, trying to catch up, "Heel!" Reluctantly, I stop and he walks in front of me. My owner leads me down the stairs, and I leap eagerly onto the wonderful ground.

The driver is still outside, checking the inner work of the bus. Bruce approaches him and says, "Thank you for the ride, sir, but our destination is close by. We can walk from here."

"Sure," the driver nods, and then stands up, "It's strange, though." He gives the bus a confused look, "It seems to be perfectly fine. There's no damage, no leaks- nothing. It just… stopped."

"That _is _strange." Bruce agrees while I shift my weight impatiently. He looks like he's about to say more, but I pull on my harness, snatching his attention, "Hold on, Amity, we're going."

As we start to walk away, he calls over his shoulder, "You still might want to get it checked. Just in case."

I don't listen to the driver's reply as I plow into the crowd, dragging Bruce with me. He pulls back with a surprising amount of strength and says, "Just because you don't like buses doesn't mean you have to misbehave."

Stopping for a moment, I let him take the lead and then follow him loyally. He glances at me and huffs, "You better get used to them because we have to take one to get back home."

I frown and let out a whimper.

Like Bruce said before, our destination is really close. Soon, we're stopping in front of a medium-sized, slightly rundown house that looks cozy.

Before we even begin to walk down the pathway, a man bursts through the door. He runs towards us and asks feverishly, "Are you Dr. Banner?"

Bruce nods and the man ushers us into the house. He leads us to a bedroom, where two elderly and a child are crowding around a woman lying on a bed. My nose wrinkles at the nauseatingly sweet stench of vomit.

The woman looks like a mess; blood is running from her nose and mouth, her finger tips are blackening, sweat is dripping from her forehead, and she's clutching her stomach and moaning.

Her family turns to Bruce hopefully as he rushes towards her, setting down his bag and taking her vitals.

"Is she going to be alright?" One of the elderly people asks immediately, his eyes worried. The elderly woman next to him is clutching his arm and gazing at the woman, who I assume is her daughter.

"Hopefully," Bruce replies, working busily, "I need to see what she has, first. Why don't you take a seat and wait? Amity will keep you calm."

Hearing my name, I straighten up and walk over to the people. The little boy perks up at the sight of me and stretches his hand out. I sniff it, and then let him pet me.

Meanwhile, the woman's husband goes and fetches a few chairs. He and the grandparents sit close to the sick woman and I lead the boy onto his father's lap.

"Is Mama going to be alright?" the kid asks as he pets my head. I distract him by putting my muzzle on his leg, turning his attention to me. He smiles a little and scratches my cheek. My tongue flickers out and licks his wrist, making him giggle.

His father tears his gaze away from the woman and looks at me. After a moment, he reaches past his son and scratches my scruff. I nuzzle into him, and then stand up.

Walking over to the grandparents, I drag their attention towards me and try to calm them down. This goes on for the next hour and a half; me switching between the elderly and the father and son, keeping the attention on me for the most part. Meanwhile, Bruce fusses over the sick woman, his mind racing. I pick up a few thoughts, like 'bacteria in bloodstream' or 'should've called me sooner' or 'heal the symptoms and then give antibiotics'.

He seems to know what he's doing, but I can tell he's a little worried. So, at one point, I walk over to him and nudge his hand with my nose. The doctor glances at me in surprise, and then smiles and pets my head, "Thanks, 'Mit."

I wag my tail at my new little nickname, and then move back to the family. A little while later, Bruce finally turns and approaches us. The adults stand up, the son falling off his father's lap. He looks like he might cry, but I poke his face with my nose and he smiles, petting me again.

"She should be alright, now." Bruce reports, and the whole family lets out a sigh of relief, "She had Septicemic Plague. You should've called me sooner, but I still managed to take out most of the symptoms. Now, you have to give her these antibiotics twice a day, everyday, for three weeks. Then contact me and I'll check on her. You can give her various medications for the more persistent symptoms like fever and abdominal pain, but I took care of most of them. The rest should clear out with the antibiotics."

He hands some medication to the father, who takes them and says, "Thank you. Thank you so much, sir."

"Your Mama's going to be alright." The boy's grandmother whispers to him, making the kid smile. I nuzzle his hand, and then move towards Bruce.

After getting paid, we walk out of the house with the family giving their gratitude as we leave. As I walk down the pathway, the little boy calls out, "Bye, Puppy!"

I wag my tail in response and trot at Bruce's side, feeling content. Once we're out of earshot, he says, "Amity, you'll soon learn that humans like to think they have everything under control, when really, they don't. If those people had called me any later, that woman would've been dead." He sounds like he's saying this more to himself, and shakes his head.

Tilting my head, I glance up at him, but he seems like he's lost in thought. I hesitate, and then stretch my mind out to his.

A hazy vision dances across my eyes, making me halt. I hear the second conscience growl as a large green hand flickers into the vision before disappearing. Somebody is shouting the word 'Hulk', and I see policemen charging towards me. Suddenly, the conscience lunges towards my presence with a snarl, so I retreat back into my own mind.

Bruce has stopped as well, one hand on his head. His breathing is ragged, and he looks like he's trying not to freak out.

Frowning, I send calming thoughts to his mind, carefully avoiding his second conscience. He pants for a few more moments, and then straightens up, dropping his hand from his head. After a pause, he glances down at me with an odd expression on his face.

Wagging my tail, I look up at him with my tongue lolling out of my mouth. Bruce smiles and reaches down to pet my head, "Sorry, girl. Let's move on."

Glad that he's better, I pad by his side as we re-enter the city. The streets are busy, as usual, and people are milling around. Bruce and I walk along the sidewalk, ignoring the sellers at their stands.

A peddler unexpectedly passes by a little too close to me and I flinch away, bumping into Bruce's leg. He stumbles, but quickly regains his balance and says, "Careful there, Amity."

I roll my eyes and resist complaining about the biker. Not that he would understand me, anyway.

As we walk, I spot a stray named Red, along with her three pups Copper, Russet, and Gooseberry. I've talked with them a few times, usually during the night when I would sometimes sneak out and explore the city. They're a nice family, and the pups, a bit younger than me, are so energetic. Currently, the four are sniffing around in an alleyway, probably on the search for food. Pausing, I bark to them and they all look up.

Immediately, the pups try to run towards me, but Red jumps in front of them before they can. She gives me a friendly wag of her tail, and I feel a tug on my harness.

"Come on, Amity." Bruce says, gently pulling me along, "We don't have all day." He hasn't noticed Red and her pups. Turning back to the mother dog, I wag my tail back at her and then follow Bruce.

He leads me towards a curve in the road, but I trod behind him. I hate seeing hungry dogs on the streets. I hate seeing hungry _people _on the streets. I wish there was a place with less poor people, a place where there was less sickness and more happiness.

I wince as I dodge a pile of cow poop. And hopefully that place will be more clean.

We come to a stop at the street corner. I glance around, wishing with all my might for us to not be getting on a bus.

Thankfully, it seems like we're just waiting to cross the road, which is full of peddlers and cars. I sit down, knowing that this might take a few moments. Bruce's medical bag is right next to my ear and I glance at it. The thing looks a little old and worn out, with stretch marks and a few holes.

I lick my chops and look down at his feet. His shoes seem like they need some repairs as well. Then again, there are a lot of things in this city that need repairing.

Abruptly, the fur on the back of my neck starts prickling. I glance over my shoulder just as a tentative voice asks, "Er- Doctor Banner?"

Bruce and I both turn around to see a short man with tan skin and slick black hair. He's wearing a white shirt and beige pants and, overall, looks pretty fancy for this part of India.

The man smiles and asks again, "Are you Dr. Banner?"

Bruce nods, "Yes, and you are?"

"Dr. McCarthy." he replies, his smile widening. McCarthy holds out his hand, and Bruce shakes it. I wrinkle my nose at the odd human greeting.

"I have heard of your work, and I must say, it's an honor to meet you." McCarthy says happily. Bruce smiles, "Thank you."

The other doctor glances down at me and quickly adds, "Oh, and, yes, it's an honor to meet your dog as well. I have heard of him- uh, what's his name?"

"Amity." Bruce says, "_Her _name is Amity." He looks down at me, "And I'm glad she's been getting noticed."

"Nice to meet you, Amity." McCarthy smiles at me. This guy smiles a lot. Still, I let my tongue loll out of my mouth in a little dog-grin.

The people around us start moving as the light on the street turns red. Bruce turns around and I follow him, walking across the road.

McCarthy catches up to us on the other sidewalk and jogs up to Bruce's side. "So," he says, taking my owner by surprise, "Are you going to the Medicine for Our Poor convention?"

"Yes." Bruce replies. McCarthy smiles _again _and says, "Really? So am I! We can go together!" I grimace, wanting to do the exact opposite.

"Er… Great." Bruce says stiffly, and I can tell he's not psyched as well. For the next ten minutes, we walk through the city with McCarthy following us and asking Bruce millions of questions. I trudge along with my head low, slowly getting more and more irritated with this man.

I am highly displeased with the lack of attention I'm getting.

Just when I'm about to give him a warning growl, we enter a sort-of backstreet/alleyway. It's very large, with a brick wall on one side, and two other walls made of various buildings flanking it. The most noticeable thing, though, is the large mass of poor people.

Tanned, skinny, sick, and dirty, these humans seem to be in line for something. I look over and see more doctor-like people in a group, talking.

"Oh, we're here!" Bruce announces, interrupting one of McCarthy's questions. The other doctor follows his gaze and brightens up, "That we are. Let's go."

As we walk towards the sick people, I hear the sound of shouting and glance at the group of doctors. They've moved aside, revealing some authoritative-looking people with fancy clothes and black sunglasses.

The doctors seem to be arguing with one of them while the rest are taking some boxes. One of the doctors sees this and tries to take them back, to no avail.

"Hey," Bruce says, noticing the commotion, "Hey!" He runs towards them, completely forgetting about McCarthy, and I run alongside him.

"What's going on here?" He asks, approaching the group. The doctors turn to him, and one says, "Dr. Banner! These men are trying to prevent us from helping the poor. They're taking our medicine."

"What? Why?" Bruce asks, "These people need help!"

One of the fancy men rolls his eyes behind his sunglasses and says, "They don't contribute to our society. Why should we waste good medicine on them? They don't deserve it."

"But they're _part _of our community." My owner counters, "Once they're healthy, these people can start new lives and _then _'contribute to our society'."

The man gives him a smug smirk, "This isn't _America, _Dr. Banner. In case you haven't noticed, things are different here."

I let out a low growl, glaring at him. This man is being very rude to Bruce. Who does he think he is?

As Bruce retorts, it seems like he's trying to stay calm, but is failing. Sighing, I stretch my mind out to his and try to send soothing thoughts.

Before I can do anything, his second conscience snarls fiercely at me, making me reel back. I whine, worried that Bruce will feel dizzy again. However, when I look up at him, he's not holding his head. He's just _arguing._

I frown. Bruce isn't one for arguments- he usually finds a way to avoid one. I've actually never seen him like this. His muscles are taut, his face is strained, and he's starting to look pale.

Scratch that- he's starting to look _green. _

I try to enter his mind again, but the second conscience pushes me out. I let out another whine as Bruce gets angrier and angrier at the man, who is arguing with the same amount of aggressiveness.

Suddenly, Bruce lets out a very animalistic snarl, making everyone fall silent. He drops my leash and puts his head in his hands. I watch in horror as his skin turns green and he starts growing bigger. Muscles form on his enlarging body and his shirt rips and tears off.

People are screaming and running away as he morphs. I can't move, though. My paws are rooted to the spot, and I continue to stare at him in terror.

I'm torn whether or not to follow my instincts and flee, or stay with the man who was my first and best friend. Whatever he's becoming- it doesn't look or sound like Bruce, but I _know _that he's still in there.

The gigantic green creature stops morphing and slams a fist into the ground, making the earth rattle. It lets out an angry roar, and then turns to me.

I take a step back, staring wide-eyed at the glaring beast.

No, this is not Bruce. It's something else. Realization dawns on me as the creature takes a step towards me.

It's his second conscience.

It's-

The creature suddenly roars at me, making me flinch and crouch down. My telekinesis bursts into action and thrusts the beast away, sending him crashing into a building. I hear another roar and shakily stand up.

-the Hulk.

**Oh, the first of many cliffhangers (just letting you know)**

**Till next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hola and Happy Easter everybody! Instead of having an Easter Egg Hunt, my sister and I compete in the Easter Games in which we both grab as many egg confetti bombs as we can and attack one another with them! So, I'm currently covered in confetti and with this long mane of hair that I have, it won't be easy to get out.**

**Anyway, here I am with a new chapter!**

**The title of this chapter is from Katy Perry 'Unconditionally'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Four

I Will Love You Unconditionally

I crouch down as the Hulk tears his way out of the demolished building. His face is twisted into an angry scowl as he shoves broken pieces aside. Snarling, he leaps towards me, flying high in the sky.

I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling my telekinesis work. When the beast doesn't crush me, I look up to see him thrown back a little. The Hulk charges at me again, but my telekinesis wraps around him and forces him backwards.

He roars in frustration and stomps on the ground, making the earth rumble. I stumble, and he seizes his advantage and lunges towards me. The Hulk's fist comes flying towards me, but my telekinesis flings him to the side.

The beast recovers quickly and pounces at me again. As I use my telekinesis to shield myself from his attack, I start to get more and more familiar with the feeling of my power.

Again and again, the Hulk attacks me and I block them. He doesn't seem to be giving up anytime soon, and is only getting angrier each time I push him away. Despite my fear, I don't try to hurt him. There's something in my mind telling me that Bruce is still within this creature- I just have to find him.

To my surprise, after another failed attempt to kill me, the Hulk backs off. He glares at me and whirls around. I watch as he picks up a crate in his large hand and then hurtles it at me. I easily catch it with my telekinesis and toss it to the side.

The Hulk grabs another objects and throws it at me. I shield myself from it, and then turn my attention to another object he throws at me. Then, for the next few minutes, the Hulk continues to hurtle things at me, getting faster and faster as time goes on.

Soon, I find myself overwhelmed, blocking one object after the other. They start to come dangerously close to me, and I back up while defending myself.

At one point, I accidentally fling an object back at the Hulk. It hits him in the side, splintering and scraping his skin. Immediately, the wounds heal over in a split second. My eyes widen in surprise and I back up even further.

Suddenly, I feel my hind leg bump against something and glance over my shoulder. I've backed up into the brick wall, and with the Hulk blocking my only exit, I'm trapped.

In the quick second in which I glanced over my shoulder, I notice the lack of things thrown at me. Whipping my head around, I see the Hulk leaping towards me, an angry snarl on his face.

My telekinesis lashes out and wraps around him, stopping him in midair. His eyes widen in shock, as well as mine. For a moment, he just hovers there, as if frozen.

Then, the beast starts thrashing around, trying to break my hold. As he does, I feel my muscles weakening and fatigue starts creeping in on me. People are still screaming and running around, and in the corner of my eye, I see policemen charging towards us.

Summoning up my strength, I push my telekinesis forward with all my might. The Hulk is immediately thrown backwards, so hard that he flies halfway across the city. I hear him land with a loud crash, and then roar.

The effort of thrusting him leaves me shaking and gasping for breath. My legs threaten to collapse and my heart is rabbiting.

Even though I'm tired, I still notice the policemen running towards me. They flood into the backstreet, either helping people or raising their guns.

Uh oh. They're going to be suspicious of a dog having just survived an attack from a gigantic green rage monster.

Forcing my legs to move, I turn around and dash towards the brick wall. It now has a hole from the Hulk crashing through it. Leaping over the rubble, I run through the streets, which are nearly empty because of the attack.

For a moment, I stand in the middle of a sidewalk, trying to figure out where to go. Then, I hear the Hulk roaring and causing destruction, about a mile to my left. Even without my enhancement, I could probably still hear the racket he's making.

Instead of running the opposite way, I turn and follow the noise. I know what I have to do to get Bruce back to normal- I think I have to calm this thing down. He turned into the Hulk because he got mad, so…. anger _must _have triggered something.

Dashing towards the noise, I notice a few people running the opposite way, or peeking outside their windows. Well, at least they're taking cover…. or evacuating.

Ducking, I slide underneath a stand and emerge into an alleyway. Running through it, I arrive at a long, wide, empty road. I don't think I've ever been here before.

The sound of the Hulk is getting closer, and I continue following it. Bounding down the empty road, I mentally thank my enhanced muscles for making me faster.

Suddenly, I hear sirens wailing behind me and glance over my shoulder. Police cars are racing down the street, lights flashing and sirens howling. I jump onto the sidewalk as they drive past me, whipping up dirt and wind in their wake.

Frowning, I run after them, even though I know I won't be able to keep up. Yes, I'm fast, and I can outrun any human, but I will never be able to outrun a police car.

Fortunately, once the cars have driven out of my sight, I can still hear their sirens. I follow the loud noise, hoping that they will lead me to my angry owner.

After about ten minutes of chasing, I come across a group of stopped police cars. Panting, I slow down and try to catch my breath. My rabbiting heart feels like it's about to explode, and if I were a regular dog, it probably would have. The sound of my pulse echoes in my ears, blocking out most of the noise, but I can still hear the roars of the Hulk.

Glancing up, I see flickers of green in the gaps between the mass of cars. Stumbling towards the vehicles, I squeeze past them and come across a disaster area.

Chunks of concrete laying around, having been ripped from the ground and crushed. All the nearby buildings are pretty much destroyed, along with any unfortunate cars. And there, in the midst of the chaos, is the Hulk.

The gigantic green beast is stomping around, smashing everything in his path. I narrow my eyes and try to stretch my mind to his. A web of green rage meets me. The second conscience is hissing things to Bruce, whose conscience is trapped within the wall of web, attempting to take control but failing.

"**Crush… shatter… SMASH!" **the conscience snarls, and at the same time, the Hulk raises his fists and slams them into the ground.

I yelp and pull out of his mind, trying to keep my balance on the shaking road. The policemen have gotten out of their cars and are forming a circle around the Hulk, guns raised. My eyes widen as one of the men yells out a command.

Rushing forward, I use my telekinesis to stop the speeding bullets as they are fired. The bullets freeze, hovering in midair, and then fall to the ground.

The policemen look taken aback, and then one notices me and yells, "Hey!" He waves his arms and starts towards me, "Run! Beat it!"

The Hulk pauses in his raging and glances over his shoulder. His poison-green eyes land on me. The beast snarls and turns around fully, stalking towards me.

I glance between him and the policemen, my mind racing. I can't even try to calm him down with all of this happening! I have to get him isolated- I have to get him out of the city!

Focusing on the Hulk, I try to will my telekinesis to work. A moment later, I feel my power surging through me, and the Hulk is suddenly lifted into the air. Immediately, my muscles start aching and I pant with the effort of keeping him raised.

Pushing forward, I watch as the beast is thrown backwards. He flies high in the sky, and I try to direct him towards the rainforest in the distance. When he disappears from my view, I hear a loud thump, and then the Hulk lets out an ear-piercing roar of rage.

Narrowing my eyes, I see some of the distant trees moving, and others falling. After a moment, the Hulk leaps into the sky with a surprising amount of acceleration, but then lands deeper in the rainforest. Good, he's travelling away from the city.

Suddenly, I feel something pulling on my harness and glance over my shoulder. A policeman has my leash in his hands, and he's tugging me towards his car.

"Come on, girl." he says, "Let's get you out of here."

"What happened?" Another man asks, walking over to us. He gives me a sharp look, "Does this dog have to do with it? Another mutant?"

My eyes widen and I jerk away, trying to get out of the man's grasp. He grunts and pulls back, but after a few more tugs, the leash slips out of his hands.

Whirling around, I dash away from them. They chase after me, but I easily outpace them and leave them in my dust.

Jumping over the demolished road, I dodge broken building pieces and run through the city. The rainforest is easy enough to spot, as the tall trees are very visible against the smaller houses. It's a bit far away, though, so by the time I reach the treeline, I'm out of breath.

Panting, I glance up at the looming tropical forest before me. None of the trees are broken or bent; there are absolutely no signs that the Hulk has been here.

Realization dawns on me and my shoulders droop. The Hulk is _jumping _his way through the forest- he won't be leaving scent trails or anything! How am I supposed to find him?

I whine and look down at my paws. My whole body is aching, and I can't stop myself from sitting down in defeat. What do I do now? I can't just leave Bruce trapped in that mutated form, but I don't want to risk getting lost in this rainforest and not be able to help him at all. And if he's able to calm down and turn back into a human, how will he find his way out of the forest? How will we ever find each other again?

As I ponder over millions of questions in my head, I start to feel a strange pull in my mind. Snapping back to reality, I notice the light tugging on my mind drawing me into the looming trees in front of me.

Frowning in confusion, I rise to my paws. The tugging becomes harder, and I soon find myself walking into the forest.

The ferns brush the sides of my legs as I walk, but I don't notice them. It feels like I'm in some sort of trance, except that I know I'm able to get out of it. However, I don't. Whatever this mind-pulling is, it can't be negative.

After about twenty long minutes of trudging through the rainforest, I come across a sight; trees snapped in half or ripped out from the ground, the earth smashed and torn, and absolutely no animals to be seen or heard.

I pad warily towards the area and sniff the air. The Hulk's scent fills my nose and my eyes widen. Just then, the tugging on my mind becomes harder, more insistent.

I...I think this has something to do with my bond with Bruce. My telepathy must've done something, maybe made a link between our minds, without me even realizing it. But how is that possible? I don't have this with my old owner.

Hmm… maybe it's because I didn't enter his mind as much as I do with Bruce? Or maybe I just have a stronger bond with him than my old owner? Or maybe the Hulk's conscience did something?

Shaking my head, I focus on reality. Whatever it is, it's leading me to Bruce, so I'm going to follow it.

Springing forward, I bound through the forest at top speed. Plants and vines whip at me, but I ignore them. The only thing that matters now is getting Bruce back.

The mind-pulling turns out to be more useful than I thought. Whenever I veer off course, it gives my mind a sharp tug and immediately straightens my path out.

Soon, I come across another disaster area. I pause, sniffing the air, and wag my tail as I smell the Hulk's scent, only fresher now.

Ten minutes of running later, I find another crushed area, and minutes after that, another. Each time, his scent is stronger and fresher, and I feel hope rising in my chest.

At one particular sight, I faintly hear the Hulk roaring. Hesitating, I prick my ears and listen. Distantly, there's the sound of grunts, growls, and snarls. A moment later, another roar rings out, and my tail wags.

Instead of running, I walk towards the sound. I don't want to accidentally crash into him, because then that would be _bad. _The sounds become louder and louder as I get closer, and the mind-pulling starts weakening.

When I see flashes of green in between the trees, it disappears entirely. I take a deep breath and continue walking.

The Hulk is stomping around a large, destroyed area. All around him, the trees are ripped and broken, laying on the ground or being crushed underneath his feet. A few of them are floating in a nearby river, which is starting to be blocked by the fallen trees.

The beast himself is continuing to tear apart the place. I watch as he grabs a boulder next to the river and slams it into the ground. Then, he starts punching it deeper and deeper into the earth, his face twisted into a scowl of rage.

I grimace and feel my heart clench. I hate seeing him like this.

Crouching low, I circle around him while staying in the cover of the standing trees. When I'm at the closest point to him, I pause and narrow my eyes.

With a determined growl, I stretch my mind out to his. The web of green meets me again. I focus and try to send soothing thoughts to his mind, but the second conscience notices me and tries to shove me out.

Grunting, I fight back and push in deeper. Bruce's conscience is trying to break out of the green web, but it doesn't let up. I try to reach out to him, but the second conscience snarls and thrusts me out of his mind.

I pull back, and then realize that the Hulk is staring at me with hate-filled eyes. He leaves the boulder in the ground and starts stalking towards me. I whine in fear and take a step back.

A moment later, the green beast roars and charges. Immediately, I use my telekinesis to force him to stop. He growls and bucks around, trying to break my hold, but I wrap my telekinesis around him firmly.

"Bruce!" I bark, struggling to keep him still, "Please! Don't make me go through this again!" The Hulk pauses for a moment, glaring at me, and I seize my advantage and plunge into his mind.

Snarling, I tear through the web of green, ripping the strands and forcing them away. I try to reach out to Bruce's conscience once more, but the Hulk's conscience shoves me back.

I sigh in frustration, letting myself be pushed to the edge of his mind. If I can't reach out to Bruce, then I'll have to reach out to the Hulk.

Plunging in again, I call out mentally, "_Hulk!"_

I don't know if is from shock or something else, but I feel the Hulk's body stop struggling and I grip him more firmly with my telekinesis.

"_Hulk!" _I say again telepathically, "_Hulk, you have to calm down! You aren't helping anyone by doing this!"_

The Hulk pauses, and I notice the green webs slackening. After a moment, he growls aloud, "_**Hulk no help humans. Humans make Hulk mad! HULK SMASH HUMANS!"**_

The beast wriggles around again, but I hold him tight.

"_And you've done that," _I reply calmly, "_You've smashed humans, and buildings, and trees, and rocks- You've already taken your anger out. All you're doing now is causing unnecessary damage and not letting Bruce return to normal."_

The Hulk doesn't reply, but stops wriggling and stares at me. I take a step towards him and meet his gaze, "_I understand. Those humans made you feel pain, not just physically, but emotionally too. This is just how you reacted. And you know what? That's okay."_

This seems to take him by surprise, and the green webs weaken even more. I continue, "_Everyone has their ways of dealing with emotions. However, violence and pain can be avoided. All you have to do is stay calm and fix the problem with patience."_

I notice how the Hulk is beginning to look smaller, as if he's shrinking. I let go of my telekinetic restrain on him, holding his gaze, and ask, "_Can you let Bruce take control? Can you give me my owner back?"_

The Hulk stares at me for a few more moments, and then closes his eyes. Immediately, Bruce's conscience breaks through the weakened green webs and takes control of his mind. I watch as the Hulk's mutated form slowly morphs back to Bruce's body.

The man drops to his knees, breathing heavily. He's shirtless, with his pants are torn and barely hanging on.

Then, he looks up at me with wide eyes. I whine, knowing I just ruined my reputation as a normal dog. Bruce opens his mouth, then closes it, then opens it again, but no words come out.

All of the sudden, his eyes roll back and he faints, collapsing onto the ground. I jump in surprise and dart to his side. Sweat is glistening on his whole body and his muscles look weary. I narrow my eyes in concern and press my nose against his head. Heat radiates off of him and I let out a whimper. His Hulk transformation must've made him exhausted.

Glancing around, I gently grab his wrist in my mouth and start dragging him towards the rainforest. I carefully prop him up against a tree, and then walk to the river, which is only a few feet away. With one paw, I swipe at the water and splash it at his face.

The first time it doesn't work, so I try it again. He grunts, and then wearily blinks his eyes open. Groaning, he rubs his head, and then notices my presence and stares at me.

I sigh and pad up to him. Sitting down in front of him, I ask telepathically, "_Are you alright?"_

He jumps, startled, and his eyes widen even more. "I'm losing it," he mutters, still staring at me, "That's what's going on. Just another voice in my head."

"_No, Bruce," _I say in his mind, and he gasps, "_You aren't going crazy. I _am _speaking to you in your mind. I'm a telepath."_

He continues to stare at me, gaping. I sigh again and continue, "_When I was younger, my old owner did experiments on me. Now, I possess the powers of telepathy and telekinesis. I escaped from my owner at a place- an airport, I think- and ran away and… and then I met you." _I give him a long look and his mouth closes, as if he has finally gotten over the fact that I'm talking to him in his head, "_I could sense the Hulk's conscience in your mind, and I wanted to learn more about him so I stayed with you. For a while I've been studying him, or at least trying to. He often would push me away whenever I got close. Anyway, I had no idea that something like this would happen…."_

Bruce stares at me for the longest time, and I shift awkwardly under his gaze. Then, he says quietly, "I knew there was something different about you. Wow."

"_I know," _I let my shoulders droop, "_I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just wanted to have a normal relationship with an owner for once." _

"Um," he stampers, still staring at me, "Uh, it-it's okay. Geez, I'm talking to a dog." He mutters the last part, and then sighs and looks down, "I… I guess you're going to leave now, right?"

I frown and tilt my head, "_Why would I do that?" _

He glances up at me, confused, and says, "Because of… well, because of the Hulk. I'm a danger to you- to everyone."

I shake my head fiercely, "_The Hulk no longer has any reason for me staying with or leaving you. Bruce, over these past few weeks, you've… you've become my best friend. I never had a bond with my old owner like the one I have with you."_

"But," Bruce protests, looking bewildered, "I don't want to hurt you. That's why I'm usually alone, or at least I used to be. I just… _how _can you still want to be with me now that you've seen the monster I can become?"

"_You are NOT a monster." _I say, standing up. I hop onto his lap and lick his chin, "_You're my owner. And I will love you no matter what. No Hulk or any other special power will ever change that."_

Bruce stares at me, and I press my muzzle into his shoulder. A moment later, I feel his arms wrap around me and his face buries into my neck. My tail wags happily at the embrace, which lasts for a long while.

"Thank you." he murmurs into my fur, and I nuzzle his shoulder, "_You're welcome." _After a few minutes, we pull apart and I add, "_Now, nothing has to change between us, right? I'm still the Amity you've known for these past few weeks."_

"Well," he smiles, "Besides the fact that you can now talk to me in my head."

"_I actually thought you'd be more surprised." _I admit, to which he simply shrugs, "I probably should have, but… you know… with all of this-" he gestures to the destruction around us, "-I guess I'm kind of used to abnormal surprises."

Suddenly, the clattering sound of a helicopter reaches my ears and I look up. Said helicopter is flying towards us in the distance, along with four others.

Bruce notices them as well and stiffens, "We should go." He stands up, and his ripped pants almost slip off, but he catches them just in time. I roll my eyes and lead him into the shelter of the rainforest.

"How far are we from the city?" he asks once we're under the trees. I ponder about it, and then reply, "_I'd say around 45 minutes. If we run."_

"That's unnecessary." Bruce says, readjusting his grip on his pants, "Meanwhile, we can go over a few things that need explaining."

And so, for the rest of our journey back to the city, we talk about various topics. He tells me about how he got turned into the Hulk, with all the gamma radiation and the science experiment. He tells me about how hard it was the first few months, learning to control his anger, and he also tells me about Betty. In turn, I tell him about _my _past, about all the painful experiments my old owner did on me, and when I first discovered my powers. I mention how I'm also faster and stronger than most dogs, and I add that I think that I might age slower as well. I tell him about my escape from the airport, the dog that helped me, and how I snuck into his house, and all the mini occurrences of my powers during these past few weeks, and also how I calmed him down sometimes when he got frustrated.

Then, we discuss how I stopped the Hulk. He recalls what I said to his second conscience and asks how I could have possibly thought of my response. I pretty much tell him what I told the Hulk, that everyone has different ways of doing things, and that's alright. He's quiet for a little while after this, and then we reach the city.

I have to run ahead and steal some clothes for him with my telekinesis. Bruce feels bad about it, but still puts on his clothes gratefully while I look away.

Then, with Bruce fully clothed, we head back into the city. Much to my displeasure, we have to take a bus to get back to our neighborhood. Once we enter the guest house we're living in, Bruce brings up the issue that Mr. Aadi would probably hear of the incident soon, and that we should pack up and leave while he's not at home. So, we gather up all of our belongings in Bruce's suitcases, and then get back onto another bus.

Eventually, we end up staying at a hotel in another city. Bruce mentions something about wanting to get people off our scent, and I agree.

Now, it's night time, and Bruce is getting ready for bed. I lay down in my own dog bed, watching as he walks out of the bathroom, a minty scent on him. As he climbs into bed, I rest my head on my paws.

"Good night, Amity." he yawns, turning off a lamp. I reply, "_Good night, Bruce."_

I hear him pause, and then chuckle, "I'm talking to my dog."

"_Yes," _I glance up at him, "_Yes you are."_

He smiles, and then closes his eyes. I sigh and do the same. Fatigue crashes down on me and I instantly fall asleep.

When I wake up again, it's still dark. I blink in confusion and lift my head, wondering what woke me up. My question is answered when I hear Bruce shifting in his bed.

I watch as my owner grunts, clutching his sheets. His muscles are taut and his breathing is quick. I frown, peeking into his mind. Images of the Hulk flash in front of me, filled with rage and blood. He must be having a nightmare.

Standing up, I walk over to the side of his bed. Now, I know he doesn't like me jumping on furniture, but I think this is an exception.

Quietly, I spring onto his bed. The soft cushion sinks under my paws, and I walk crawl up to Bruce's front.

My owner is still twitching and grunting in his sleep, but when I prod his side with my nose, he freezes. I hesitate, and then wriggle underneath his arm. He sighs, awakening, and slides his arm onto my back.

"Sorry." he whispers, but I shake my head, "_Shh. It's alright. You go back to sleep- I'll stay awake." _I send soothing thoughts to his head, and I feel him relax. A moment later, he starts snoring gently, and I rest my muzzle on his shoulder, "_I'll chase away all your nightmares."_

**DAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! Aren't these two just adorable?! So, now that Bruce knows about Amity's powers, the next chapter shall be the start of the Avengers timeline.**

**Until next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	5. Chapter 5

**Crap, I forgot to update yesterday. Sorrrrrrrryyyyy. Btw, in case I forgot to mention, this will eventually be a TonyXBruce. Nothing to serious, just light fluff, but if you don't like, don't read**

**The title of this chapter is from Imagine Dragons 'Demons'**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel**

Chapter Five

But With the Beast Inside, There's Nowhere We Can Hid_e_

_One year later…_

I lay on my side, gazing at the scene before me. Bruce, along with a man and a woman, are bustling dutifully around the small shack-like house. Today's patients are two small children, lying on cots.

Only one of them is barely awake, while the other is unconscious. Apparently, she's been like this for more than a day. Both she and her little brother have the same disease, which is causing them fever, coughing, fatigue, and in the sister's case, coma.

At first, Bruce thought that he had this all under control, but now he needs the help of the children's parents. Unfortunately, I can't do much, since the parents are busy, so I'm just laying a bit away from all the commotion.

Ever since the incident with the Hulk a year ago, Bruce and I have been slowly migrating to the city of Calcutta. It is certainly more populated here, but there's waaay more poverty. The streets are filled with bikers, rundown buildings, and poor people living in makeshift houses. I can't say that I like it better than the old city, but Bruce gets to heal people and make them happier, so I'm okay with settling here.

Speaking of Bruce, I watch as he instructs the father to put a cold towel on the girl's head. The father does as he says, and then Bruce tells the mother to mash up some herbs that he gives her.

Since Calcutta isn't very high-tech, we've had to resource to less modern medicine. Thankfully, Bruce seems to know his herbs pretty well, so they've been fairly effective.

As the woman starts smashing the herbs in a bowl, a sharp scent wafts from it. I wrinkle my nose and ask Bruce telepathically, "_What is that?"_

My owner continues with his work normally, having gotten used to my voice popping in his head this past year. To answer my question, he takes the bowl of smashed herbs from the woman and says, "Good. Now, I'll just rub this onto their chests and it'll help them breathe easier."

He kneels down next to the two children and dips his fingers into the bowl. When he lifts his hand to the girl's chest, his fingers have a green, cream-like substance on them. He rubs the green stuff onto her chest, and then does the same to the boy.

I sneeze at the sharp scent of the herbs.

Bruce stands up and walks to a sink. Turning on the faucet, he starts washing his hands. Just then, I hear the sound of light footsteps pounding up the staircase on the side of the room. Looking over, I watch as a young girl, maybe eight or nine years old, peeks through the railing of the staircase.

The woman notices her and snaps, "Who are you? Get out! There is sickness here!" Bruce glances up at the mirror above the sink so he can see what's going on.

The little girl, looking flustered, says in English, "You're a doctor." She continues to babble incoherently in Hindi, but she's caught Bruce's attention. The doctor walks over to her, and the girl looks up at him. "My father's not waking up!" she cries in Hindi, "He has a fever and he's moaning, but his eyes won't open!"

"Slow down." Bruce says, raising a hand. I stand up, sensing that this girl needs to calm down, and walk over to her. She glances at me and pets my head, "My father…"

Bruce kneels down and gestures to the two sick children, "Like them?" The girl looks at the kids, and the boy lets out a cough.

She nods and holds up a fist full of money. "Please." she pleads in English. Bruce and I both look at each other, and I tilt my head, "_Why not?"_

He turns to the man and woman and says, "I'll be back soon. They should be stable for now." The parents don't look happy, but before they can try to stop him, Bruce starts down the staircase.

"Take me to him, please." He says to the girl and she nods, dashing down the stairs. Bruce pauses and snaps his fingers, "Amity."

I walk around the railing and hop to his side. I no longer have the turquoise harness Bruce got for me, since I grew out of it. However, Bruce didn't see a reason to buy a leash because he knows that I'll never leave his side, so now I only have my collar, which he adjusted as I grew.

"Come." the girl says, beckoning us towards the door. We walk down the stairs and then enter the chaotic streets. The girl weaves through the people easily, but Bruce has trouble keeping up. I flinch away from a biker and trot at Bruce's heels.

The girl leads us across the road and onto the dusty sidewalk. She starts picking up speed, almost to the point that she's running. Bruce grunts as he dodges a person and dashes after her, "Wait! Wait up!"

For the next ten minutes, the girl quickly scampers through the city, moving as if she knows the place like the back of her hand. We run after her, and I notice the buildings starting to thin out. We must be nearing the edge of the city.

As if to answer my question, I see a dark forest in distance. Before it is dry, dusty land filled with half-dead plants and tumbleweeds.

Bruce follows the girl as she leads us to a ramshackle hut with clothes hanging on lines and dirty sheets. My ears perk up as I hear a car driving down the dirt road in front of the car, "_Bruce." _

He catches up to the girl and puts a hand on her shoulder, making her stop. The car passes by and he turns away. I narrow my eyes at the vehicle. It looks strangely fancy and high-tech for Calcutta. The thing is large, filled with men muttering into walkie-talkies.

I give Bruce a quizzical look and he glances at the van suspiciously. Before he can say anything, the girl darts towards the house. He follows her, but I hang back a bit.

Looking around, I spot a few people crowded around an old TV nearby. Some goats are with them, and they seem like normal poor people, but then I see one put a finger to his ear and mutter.

I frown, and then dash into the house. Torn sheet line the doorframe and I push them aside, entering just in time to see the girl jump out of a window.

"_Bruce…" _I say telepathically, trotting to his side. He stops, smiling grimly, and huffs, "We should've got paid up front, Amity."

"_I know, but-_" Before I can finish my sentence, a smooth, feminine voice says, "You know, for a man who's supposed to be avoiding stress, you picked a hell of a place to settle."

We both glance over our shoulders to see a woman walking out from behind a curtain. She has red hair, green eyes, and is wearing a black dress with a shawl around her arms. Immediately, I know that this woman is trouble.

In a split second, I'm delving into her mind. I learn that she has had many names, but she's currently known as Natasha Romanoff. Ex-assassin, used to be a part of something called the Red Room but now works for an organization called SHIELD, she's here to take Bruce somewhere called the Helicarrier. I frown at that, pulling out of her mind. This can't be good.

I watch as Bruce tenses up and puts down his bag, turning to her. "Avoiding stress isn't the secret." he says tersely.

"Then what is it?" Natasha asks casually, "Yoga?"

Bruce gives her a fake smiles and rubs his hands together nervously, glancing around. "You brought me to the edge the city. Smart." He says.

He walks over to a window and looks out of it. Meanwhile, I glare at Natasha, wrinkling my muzzle distrustfully. She simply glances at me, and then back up at Bruce as he says, "I assume the whole place is surrounded."

"_Actually-" _I say in his mind, but Natasha interrupts me again, "Just you and me." She takes off her shawl and I narrow my eyes. Something about this woman reminds me of a snake- smooth, witty, with deadly beauty, but when she strikes, she strikes with venom that leaves you lifeless.

"And your actress buddy?" Bruce asks, pointing at the window the little girl disappeared out of, "Is she a spy, too? They start that young?" He walks a bit closer to me idly, staring at Natasha suspiciously.

"I did." She replies simply, and he asks, "Who are you?"

"Natasha Romanoff."

Bruce looks down at me and I glance up at him. Tilting my head, I tell him, "_Be careful. She used to be an assassin." _He sighs and rubs his knuckles anxiously, looking back up at her.

"Are you here to kill me, Ms. Romanoff?" he asks, "Because that's not going to work out… for everyone." I let out a growl to prove his point.

She glances at me again and says, "No, of course not. I'm here on behalf of SHIELD." The red head starts walking towards him. He raises his chin, "SHIELD…" He eyes her warily, and then looks down at me.

"_SHIELD is a government agency." _I say, and I see his jaw clench. After a moment, he looks at Natasha and asks, "How did they find me?"

"We never lost you, Doctor." she replies, "We've kept our distance. Even helped keep some other interested parties off your scent."

I tilt my head in confusion. "_Why would they do that?" _I ask Bruce. He looks away from her and asks my question, "Why?"

"Nick Fury seems to trust you." Natasha replies, and with a quick peek in her mind, I learn that Nick Fury is her boss, "But now we need you to come in."

"What if I say no?" Bruce asks. Natasha smiles, her dark eyes sparkling, and says, "I'll persuade you."

Bruce pauses, glancing at me, and then asks, "And what if the Other Guy says no?"

"You've been more than a year without an incident." Natasha counters smartly, "I don't think you want to break that streak." With that, she turns and walks over to a table.

Bruce slowly walks after her. He notices a wooden crib and sighs, rocking it wistfully, "Well, I don't every time get what I want."

I feel my heart clench and gaze at him with pity. I remember him telling me that he will never be able to have children because of the Hulk. Giving him an encouraging look, I say, "_You have me, don't you?"_

He smiles at me, and then Natasha speaks up, "Doctor, we're facing a potential global catastrophe."

Bruce chuckles and looks up at the ceiling, "Well, those I actively try to avoid." Natasha holds up her phone, showing him the screen. On it is the picture of a shiny blue cube.

"This," she puts it on the table and slides it over to him, "is the Tesseract. It has the potential energy to wipe out the planet."

My eyes widen. Yikes.

Bruce takes out his glasses and picks up the phone, gazing at the screen. Natasha and I both watch him. After a moment, he frowns and asks, "What does Fury want me to do? Swallow it?"

Natasha leans forward and puts her arms on the table, "He wants you to find it. It's been taken. It emits a gamma signature that's too weak for us to trace. There's no one that knows gamma radiation like you do. If there was," she leans back, "that's where I'd be."

Bruce takes off his glasses and asks, "So, Fury isn't after the monster?" I roll my eyes at the word 'monster'.

"Not that he's told me." Natasha replies.

"And he tells you everything?" Bruce counters.

There's an awkward pause, and then Natasha leans forward again, "Talk to Fury. He needs you on this."

"He needs me in a cage?"

"No one's going to put you in a-"

Suddenly, Bruce slams his hands down on the table and yells, "STOP LYING TO ME!" Immediately, Natasha stands up and whips out a gun, pointing it at his head. My eyes widen in surprise and I instinctively jump onto the table. Putting myself in front of Bruce, I bare my teeth and snarl at Natasha.

I feel a hand on my side, and then Bruce says, "I'm sorry, that was mean. I just wanted to see what you'd do." I frown and scoff, "_Bruce, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"_

My owner smiles and nudges me off the table. I leap to the ground and turn, noticing that Natasha still has her gun trained on Bruce.

Bruce raises his hands and asks, "Why don't we do this the easy way where you don't use that and the Other Guy doesn't make a mess. Okay?"

Natasha doesn't put her gun down. She looks like she's inwardly terrified at what just happened, but she's trying to conceal her emotions.

"Natasha?" Bruce asks. The ex-assassin pauses, and then puts a finger to her ear. "Stand down," she says, "We're good here."

I hear clicking and whirring outside. Glancing out of the window, I see a bunch of people surrounding the house with weapons, which they are now lowering.

"_Oh, right." _I say to Bruce, "_I forgot to tell you that the place is surrounded."_

He gives a forced smile and asks Natasha, "'Just you and me'?" She drops her hand from her ear and stares at him.

"You would've taken precautions, too." She defends herself, and then glances down at me, "You've got one loyal dog, Banner. She was ready to take a bullet for you."

"_More like stop one." _I snort to Bruce. He leans down pets my scruff, "Amity can be very protective of me."

There's a pause, in which Natasha looks like she's mulling something over in her head. Then, she takes out a little card and hands it to him.

"Director Fury needs you on this." She says as he takes it, "I'll give you 'till 10 to make your choice. If you accept, give us a call and a jet will arrive to pick you up in the morning." With that, she turns around and walks towards the door. As she exits the house, she adds, "Think about it, Doc."

* * *

We don't go back to the family with the two sick children. Once Natasha is gone, Bruce waits for the SHIELD people to leave as well and then exits the house. I follow him as he starts speed walking towards the city. As he goes in deeper, he tries to get lost amongst the crowd.

"_Bruce!" _I call after him, struggling to catch up with all the people in my way, "_Wait up!" _The man stops and I trot up to him.

When I get close enough, I see that his breathing is ragged, and he looks like he's trying to control his heartbeat. His head whips towards me and he mutters, "Amity…"

Immediately, I start sending calming thoughts to his mind. Getting an idea, I take his favorite memories and renew them to him.

"_Shh, shh," _I whisper soothingly, "_It's okay. It's gonna be fine. No need to panic." _Gradually, his breathing returns to normal and his pulse-watch beeps slower.

"Thank you." he sighs, taking a deep breath. I tilt my head up at him, barely noticing the people passing by us, "_Are you alright?"_

He nods, looking around, and then mutters, "Let's talk at the apartment. I probably look crazy right now." My owner looks pointedly at the passing people giving him odd glances.

"_Right." _I say, walking by his side as we start moving again. The apartment is a bit far away, but there aren't many buses around here so we usually travel on foot. Not that I'm complaining, because I still don't like buses.

On the way back, Bruce stares at the ground, obviously thinking about what just happened. I don't even have to peek into his mind to know I'm right. Huffing, I nudge his leg and send soothing thoughts to his mind.

He smiles at me and I let my tongue flop out of my mouth. For the rest of our trek, a comfortable silence is between us. Eventually, curiosity gets the better of me and I stretch my mind out to Bruce's.

He's worried about the whole SHIELD thing, but trying not to think about it. He keeps on telling himself that we'll figure it out at the apartment, and that he didn't have me during his last problem with authorities, and that I can keep him calm.

Humming, I casually take another better memory and drag it to his attention. Just like that, he focuses on the happier memory and I pull out of his mind.

A few minutes later, we're entering a rather shabby apartment building. The desk man smiles at us as we pass by and take the elevator. The thing creaks and groans, which freaks me out, but thankfully the ride is short since we're on the third level.

I jump out of the elevator and follow Bruce as he walks to our room. Opening the door, we go inside and he locks it behind him.

Our apartment is a bit small, but we don't need much space to live happily. It's basically one room, spare the bathroom and the closet. There's a kitchen, which has a counter partially separating it from the rest of the room. On the other side is a couch that can open up into a bed, as well as a table and a really old TV.

Huffing, I walk over to the couch, which is still in bed form, and jump onto it. The rule about 'no jumping on furniture' is long gone. Flopping down on my side, I watch as Bruce walks into the kitchen and opens the fridge. Taking something out, he puts it on the counter and then grabs a loaf of bread from a small basket. It takes me a moment to realize that he's making a sandwich.

After about five minutes, he walks over to me with a plate in hand. Sitting down next to me, he swings his legs up on the bed.

"Here." he says, putting some chicken scraps from the other day on a napkin. I hungrily eat them as he eats his sandwich. A few moments later, he sets it back down on the plate and says, "Okay… potential global catastrophe…"

"_Sounds serious." _I comment, licking my chops, "_Do you really think they need your help?"_

Bruce sighs and looks up, "Maybe… I really want to believe that they're not just asking me to come because of the Hulk, but I know that's part of the reason."

I glance at him, "_Should we go?"_

"I don't know." He admits, "They just came up out of nowhere, and then claim that they've been following me for years and that they need my help."

I nod slowly, "_To find weak gamma rays. You're good with that stuff."_

"Yeah, but…" He sighs heavily and gives me an incredulous look, "Potential global catastrophe? Tesseract? SHIELD? Amity, this won't end well."

I fall silent, looking at my paws. Then, I crawl towards him and put my head on his lap, "_Well, whatever you decide to do, I'll be with you no matter what." _

I feel his hand scratch me gently behind my ears. "Thank you, Amity." He says. After a pause, he adds, "Natasha never _did _tell me what would happen if I say no…"

Scoffing, I lift up my head and gaze at him, "_They wouldn't be crazy enough to try to take you by force."_

"If this 'Nick Fury' is smart, then they won't." he agrees. Bruce sighs, looking into my eyes, and says again, "I don't know. What do you think I should do?"

I hesitate, pondering about it, and then reply, "_I think…. as long as it's just for the gamma ray stuff, then you should go. But once you find that Tesseract thing, we're out of there in the blink of an eye."_

Bruce nods and takes a deep breath, "Yeah… and at least we'd be on their good side."

"_Exactly." _I push myself up into a sitting position, "_And I'll be with you every step of the way. I can keep you calm if anything happens, too."_

My owner smiles and kisses my forehead. I lick his chin, much to his displeasure, and my tail wags. "Thank you." He mutters, pulling away. I blink in confusion, "_What for?"_

Bruce shrugs awkwardly and replies, "Just… for your guidance, and comfort, and… well, just for being you, pretty much." Then, to my surprise, he _hugs _me. I recoil in shock for a moment, and then sink into the embrace.

Now, Bruce isn't a very huggy person. Sometimes the family members of the patients he help give him a hug, but he never really returns it fully. And, sure, Bruce pets me and stuff, but the only time he has ever hugged me is when I calmed down the Hulk and told him that nothing would change my mind about staying with him. Also, I'm pretty sure that _I _started that hug.

So, yeah, this is kind of surprising.

A few moments later, Bruce pulls away from me and reaches into his pocket. Taking out his phone and the card, he glances at it, and then at me.

"_They also probably have your medicine bag." _I add. At his confused look, I continue, "_Well, you left it back at that shack-house thing. Remember?"_

His eyes widen a little, and then he sighs. Tapping on his phone, he puts it up to his ear nervously.

I hear a tiny voice come through the phone, and then he says, "Hi, uh, this is Bruce Banner. I'll… I'll help." The tiny voice pauses, and then starts saying a bunch of stuff. Bruce continually nods, and then says, "Okay. You're welcome. Bye."

He hangs up the phone and looks at me. I wag my tail, "_Well?"_

"We have to meet a few agents at the airport in the morning." Bruce replies bluntly, "We're going to take a private jet. And… I forgot to tell them that you're coming."

"_They might assume that I'm coming anyways," _I say, "_I mean, do I ever leave your side?" _He smiles and puts the plate with a half-eaten sandwich on the bedside table. Pulling me into his arms, we both lean back onto his pillows.

He holds me tight, his chin on my head, and I nuzzle his chest with my snout. I feel him sigh, and then murmur, "I'm glad you're coming. You… you make me feel safe. I know that I won't be able to hurt anyone with you around and…. Thank you."

Inhaling deeply, I breathe in his familiar scent and reply softly, "_You're welcome." _For the next half hour, we lay there together, wondering about what the future has planned for us. As I begin to doze off, I realize that, whatever is coming, we'll face it together.

**Next chapter, onto the Helicarrier!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	6. Chapter 6

**Omg I almost forgot to update today but then my sister started talking about this story and I was like, "OMG I HAVEN'T UPDATED!" and I ran to the computer in the middle of dinner**

**So here I am with a new chapter! Woo!**

**The title of this chapter is from Taylor Swift '22'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own MARVEL **

Chapter Six

Everything Will Be Alright If You Keep Me Next to You

"_What the heck is that?"_

I stop dead in my tracks, staring at the metal object. It looks kind of like a plane, only smaller, sleeker, and a bit more bird-ish. The wings are definitely wider than a normal plane's, and windows cover almost the entire front part. Dark metal coats the outside- the kind of metal that you don't usually see around here. The sides both have odd logos on them, look strangely like birds.

The backend opens up into a sort of ramp-like thing, revealing the inside. Black chairs line the walls, equipped with complicated-looking seatbelts and other straps. Up front, I can see the back of two pilot seats surrounded by the windows.

Two people are standing outside of the thing, wearing dark suits and sunglasses. I frown and narrow my eyes suspiciously. These men don't look very…. nice.

Before I can try to read their minds, Bruce turns to me and says, "Come on, Amity." He starts walking towards the metal contraption, but I stay where I am. When he realizes that I'm not following, he turns and snaps his fingers, "'Mit, it's just a jet."

I cautiously walk forward, eyeing the men warily. Sniffing the metal ramp, I ask him, "_Is it like a plane?" _

He ignores my question, mainly because if he answers normally then it would look like he's talking to a dog. I follow my owner as he walks into the 'jet' and sits down on one of the seats. He pats the one next to him and I obediently jump up on it.

I watch as he pulls the seatbelt across his waist and buckles himself in. Once he's settled, I lay down and rest my head on his lap. Bruce smiles and puts his hand on my neck, rubbing my ear idly.

The two men enter the jet, closing the ramp/door behind them, and walk up to the front. As they pass by, I hear one of them mutter into his earpiece, "Sir, he brought his dog."

Curiosity gets the better of me, and I peek into his mind. This man's name is Matthew John West, a.k.a Agent West. He seems very skeptical about this whole situation, but he keeps telling himself that the head of SHIELD, Director Fury, knows what he's doing. Still, I can tell that he's just reassuring himself, and that he has doubts. I also pick up his thoughts of how dangerous it is to be on a jet with 'someone like Bruce'.

Frowning, I pull out of his mind and sigh.

The two men sit close to the pilots, and then a few minutes later, the jet rumbles to life. I bite back a yelp and raise my head. One of the pilots is talking into her helmet, while the other is tapping a bunch of buttons and flicking on switches, which begin to hum annoyingly.

Slowly, the jet starts to move forward. I shift uncomfortably as it drives down the runway, gathering speed as we go.

"_Bruce, I don't like this." _I complain to him, "_It reminds me of a bus, only a lot faster and less bumpy. And I thought you said we were going to fly there? We aren't-"_

Suddenly, the jet takes off into the sky and I yelp aloud. The feeling of no ground beneath the aircraft is the strangest thing, and I can sense the air pressure outside drop as we go higher, even though the pressure inside remains the same. Through the window, I can see the ground growing smaller and smaller. I jump up in alarm, but since we're still accelerating, I fall back down onto my rump.

Whining, I turn to Bruce and press myself against him. He smiles and scratches my head, pressing his lips to my temple. As my eyes flicker around worriedly, he mutters into my cropped ear, "I should've known. If you don't like buses, then of course you're not going to like jets."

He continues to pet me, trying to calm me down, and I feel guilt prick at my heart. Bruce has learned to stay relaxed in the most infuriating situations, and here I am, freaking out over flying, which he has probably done before. Well, then again, I don't have to worry about turning into an angry, giant, green creature when I get mad… But still, if anyone should be worried, it's him, and I'm supposed to make sure he stays as calm as possible.

"_Sorry." _I apologize, ducking my head. Bruce glances at the agents, who are busy doing stuff on their phones, and whispers quietly, "Why?"

"_Just for…" _I pause, and then huff, "_For being a wuss. This whole situation is harder for you than it is for me, and… I mean, just look at me. I'm a shaking mess, and we haven't even gotten to the Helicarrier yet!"_

"It's _alright_." Bruce says a little too loudly, swiping his hand on top of my head and gently tugging back my ears. One of the agents' gaze flickers to him, but then returns to the phone. My owner lowers his voice, "It's your first flight- at least, the first one you've been conscious during. It's always nerve-racking the first time."

I huff again, but fall silent and lean against him. He rubs my back, and the flight continues on quietly. When we reach a cruising speed and are no longer going diagonally, Agent West stands up. He grabs something from next to the pilot, and then walks over to us.

I sit up and as he hands something to Bruce. It looks like a tablet, and when Bruce taps on it, the thing lights up.

"The file of Steve Rodgers is in there." Agent West says, "Once you find the Tesseract, he will be the one to get it. You'll probably meet him on the Helicarrier."

"Thanks." Bruce replies, and the agent retreats to his seat. I glance at my owner and he glances at me. Tilting my head, I sniff the tablet and ask, "_What does it say?" _

Bruce pauses, and then taps his head. When there are other people around, that's his way of telling me to read his mind. I nod and peer into his conscience. The Hulk lurks in the depths of his mind, just a green shadow at the moment, and leaves me alone as I enter.

"_Okay, start." _I tell Bruce, and he starts reading. He can't talk to me mentally, but I can see the words on the tablet float into his mind and change, morphing so that they aren't written in any specific language and are simply pieces of information. It's strange, but it allows me to read human words, so I don't complain.

The tablet is showing a file about somebody named Steven Grant Rogers. There's some basic information about him, such as his place of birth (Brooklyn, NY- whatever that means), race (Caucasian- whatever _that _means), appearance (including a picture- he looks nice), education, and employment. Apparently, at first he was a newspaper boy, and then he became part of the army, which I think was a big step-up for him.

For a moment, Bruce is confused at how this person is still alive when his DOB dates back to 1918, but then he reads about some science experiment done on the man. None of it makes sense to me, mainly because I'm a dog and I suck at science. However, I manage to understand that this 'Steve', aka Captain America is a super soldier that was in a human event called World War II, he was frozen for 70 years and finally woke up just a few months ago, and is going to retrieve the Tesseract, which is somehow involved in his story.

"_He seems interesting." _I say to Bruce, looking up at him. My owner glances at me and smiles. He taps the tablet a few more times, and then a list of dark squares appear. I tilt my head and he presses one, and suddenly it expands and fills the screen. The figures in the picture starts moving, and I realize it's a video.

The screen is black and white, not to mention rather blurry. However, I can clearly see Captain America through all the haze. His star-spangled self stands out as the video shows him discussing something with a bunch of other men, as well as a lady. Once the playback is over, Bruce taps on another one. This video shows Steve in action, shooting enemies with a gun, as well as blocking and smashing things with his shield.

"_Good fighter." _I comment. Bruce simply scratches my scruff, and for the next hour or so, we watch multiple videos of Captain America fighting. Then, since we have about 10 more hours before we reach the Helicarrier, Bruce decides to take a nap. He barely got any sleep last night, so full of angst and worry. I tried to sooth him, but he still tossed and turned.

The two agents are nice enough to shift the seats into a sort of makeshift bed, and then go hang out with the pilots. I leap onto Bruce's other side and let him use my flank as a pillow. He lays down awkwardly and then rests his head on my back. I hear him sigh and feel his eyelashes blink against my fur.

Looking over my shoulder, I give his forehead a comforting lick, making him huff. "_Relax." _I say, "_You're going to need as much rest as you can get."_

"I know." he murmurs, and I can see a familiar look in his eyes. Exhaustion. Only, it's not just physically.

Sighing, I reposition myself so that my body is slightly curled around Bruce's head. Touching my nose to his temple, I offer, "_I'll stay awake and make sure the agents don't bother you. And when we're almost there I'll wake you up." _

"Thank you." He shifts into a more comfortable position, and then settles down. His muscles are still taut, so I start sending soothing thoughts to his mind. A few minutes later, he relaxes completely and falls asleep.

I lay my head down next to his, but keep my eyes open. Agent West and his buddy are hanging around the pilot area, one sitting on the floor and the other leaning on the wall. They mutter softly to the pilots, but once in a while I see them glance at Bruce.

I feel a surge of protectiveness and instinctively curl closer around my owner. Lifting my head, I meet Agent West's gaze the next time he glances at Bruce. The man pauses, staring at me, and I narrow my eyes challengingly. I have to restrain myself from saying, "_Try to come near him. I dare you."_

Instead, I keep on glaring at him until the agent glances away. Turning to his buddy, he mutters loud enough for me to hear, "Jeff, that _dog. _It's like… it's just _staring _at me."

Agent West and 'Jeff' both turn to look at me. I gaze back at them boldly. Jeff rolls his eyes and snorts, "That's so weird." He turns away, tapping his phone as he sits on the floor. Agent West stares at me for a few more moments, but then turns away as well.

I huff in satisfaction.

Amity: 1

Agents: 0

* * *

_10 hours later…_

The jet suddenly shudders and I jerk awake. Agent West and his buddy are sitting in the seats across from me and Bruce, strapped in with seatbelts. Pretending not to have dozed off, I lift my head and gaze outside of the window.

We must be landing, because the jet is slowing down dramatically. I watch as we approach a large metal…. _thing _that is floating in the ocean. It looks extremely high-tech, and is covered with jets and runways. Narrowing my eyes, I also notice people running around on the platform.

My head snaps towards Agent West as he leans forward. "Dr. Banner." He says, prodding my owner's shoulder lightly, "Dr. Banner, wake up."

Shifting, I poke Bruce's forehead with my nose and murmur telepathically, "_Bruce. We're landing."_

His eyes snap open and he raises his head. Agent West leans back as Bruce sits up, "We're almost at the Helicarrier."

"Thanks." Bruce replies, rubbing his face with a hand. I wag my tail and gaze outside of the window in excitement. "_This place looks cool!" _I say to him. My owner seems to finally notice the ship we're flying to, because his eyes widen a bit as he looks outside.

"Oh, lord…" he breathes after a moment, looking away. He rubs his hands on his knees and mutters, "This will be interesting."

My tail thumps harder as we get closer to the Helicarrier. Before I know it, the jet is hovering over the ship and is slowly sinking downwards. When it lands on the platform, the two agents immediately stand as the pilots turn off the jet.

The back opens up, letting bright light pour inside. Agent West and his friend walk away, completely ignoring us, and start talking with the agents outside. The pilots are still doing this and that to the jet, so Bruce and I just glance at each other before standing up.

"Stay close to me, Amity." He says, slowly approaching the ramp, "You don't want to get lost in a place like this."

I nod in understanding and hop off of the seat. Together, we walk off of the jet and onto the Helicarrier. I can't even begin to describe this place. There's just so much… stuff! Jets and other aircrafts dapple the large expanse of metal, which gleams in the sunlight. People are bustling around dutifully, whether singularly or in a group. Almost everything here, including the humans, have those weird little bird logos on them. Everyone seems to have a purpose, or know their duties, which makes Bruce and I look somewhat out of place.

"Uhh…" Bruce says, turning to the agents that were with us. He tries to grab their attention, but they're too busy talking with other people, so he gives up, "Any ideas, 'Mit?"

"_This place is really big." _I comment oh-so helpfully. Bruce glances around, fiddling with his hands like he always does when he's anxious. He tries walking forward, but a group of people brush past him, blocking his way, and he takes a step back.

"Dr. Banner!"

We both look over and see a man approaching us. I immediately recognize him and say to Bruce, "_Hey, this is the guy from the file! Steve Rogers, right?"_

My owner glances at me before walking towards Steve. He holds out his hand, to which Steve shakes, and says, "Oh, yeah, hi. They told me you would be coming."

"Word is, you can find the cube." Steve comments as they drop hands. Bruce glances around and asks, "Is that the only word on me?"

"Only word I care about." The super soldier replies curtly. Just to make sure I'm not forgotten, I let out a bark. They both look at me and Steve asks, "Oh, who is this?"

"This is Amity." Bruce says, scratching my head. I puff out my chest as Steve leans down and pets me. He smells like honeysuckle and wet pavement on a hot day. I like him. Flicking out my tongue, I lick his wrist, making him smile. He's salty, too. Makes me like him even more.

"She's sweet." Steve says, straightening up. Upset that he stopped petting me, I nudge his leg and whimper. Bruce laughs nervously and pulls me away, "Amity, that's enough."

I look up at him with big eyes and then look at Steve, "_But I like him…"_

The super soldier smiles and asks, "What kind of dog is she?"

Bruce shrugs and replies, "I'm not sure. She used to be a stray before I took her in. I think she's a mutt- something with Great Dane, because she hasn't stopped growing since I met her."

"Gentlemen." a familiar voice behind us says. We turn to see Natasha Romanoff walking towards us, "You might want to step inside in a minute. It's going to get a little hard to breathe."

As if on cue, a siren goes off and the people start bustling around more urgently. A few seconds later, the metal starts clanking underpaw and I yelp.

"Flight crew, secure the deck." a voice booms from somewhere. I glance around, looking for the source. Meanwhile, Steve and Bruce are walking towards the edge of the Helicarrier.

"Is this a submarine?" Steve asks. I tilt my head in confusion and trot after them, making sure to whack Natasha's leg with my tail as I brush past her.

"Really?" Bruce says, "They want me in a submerged, pressurized, metal container?" I frown. Is that what a submarine is?

I peer over the edge to see the ocean churning and frothing. Suddenly, a gigantic, metal, fan-like _thing _rises up out of the sea, water running off of it. As it starts spinning, wind whips at me and whistles in my ears.

Behind me, Bruce says, "No, no, this is much worse." I glance over my shoulder to see him and Steve backing up a little. "Amity." my owner calls, snapping his fingers, "Stay away from the edge."

I turn around and walk back to him. Steve scratches my scruff, much to my pleasure, and my tail wags. I press up against his leg as Natasha walks towards us, "Come on inside. Director Fury wants to meet you."

She turns around and starts towards an elevated area of metal sticking out of the Helicarrier. Windows line the sides, and I realize that there must be a room inside. Bruce and Steve follow her, and I trot after them happily.

As we pass by, I notice agents strapping down the jets. They put on breathing masks, and I feel the Helicarrier starting to rise out of the water. Whining, I dart ahead of the trio and run towards the doors. I paw at them, but they stay shut. Meanwhile, the wind starts whirling around more fiercely, making me feel like I'm about to be swept off my paws.

"Amity!" Bruce calls as they catch up with me. He gives me a stern look and says, "Behave." I blink and peer into his mind. My poor owner is trying to contain his worry, and I'm not helping. Guilt pricking at my heart, I duck my head and walk by his side as Natasha leads us indoors.

"Try to make sure that dog stays out of trouble please, Dr. Banner." the ex-assassin says as we walk through the hallways of the Helicarrier. Two more doors appear at the end, but they open automatically as we approach. I tilt my head in surprise. They don't have _that _in Calcutta.

Natasha glances back at us as we enter the room, a smirk on her face. The interior of the room takes my breath away. First off, it is _hug_e. I would think that this room takes up the entire Helicarrier, but I can see more doors leading off to other places. There's an area that's a bit lower than the rest, and it's full of computers and agents and other high-tech stuff. Railings line the edge of the elevated part, probably to make sure that no one falls onto the computers. A bridge-like part stretches out into the sea of technology, with panels sticking out from it. I notice a man standing on the bridge, wearing dark clothes and an eyepatch. One peek into his mind tells me that this is Director Fury.

Nearby, Bruce tries to walk up some stairs, but then sees guards on either side of what the stairs would lead to and turns around awkwardly. I trot up to him and nudge his legs, "_Can I explore?" _

He looks at me and presses his lips into a thin line, humming in thought. "_I'll behave." _I urge, "_I promise I won't break anything!"_

Finally, he sighs and leans down. Pretending that he's just petting me, he mutters, "Fine. But stay out of trouble and no going on the computers."

Swallowing a yip of excitement, I whirl around and bound towards the bridge. Sniffing the railing, I pick up a sour, metallic scent and huff, turning away. A few of the agents glance up at me as pass, but continue on with their work.

"All engines operating. SHIELD Emergency Protocol 193.6 in effect." a crisp voice catches my attention and I look up. A slim, brunette, authoritative-looking woman is standing on a lower platform attached to the bridge. I peer into her mind, learning that her name is Maria Hill and that she's the lieutenant. She turns to Director Fury and says, "We are at level, sir."

"Good." the man replies, "Let's vanish."

Agent Hill turns to another agent and says, "Engage retro-reflection panels." After a moment, the agent replies, "Reflection panels engaged."

I hear whirring and tilt my head in confusion. Director Fury turns to Steve and Bruce and says, "Gentlemen."

I watch as Steve walks up to Fury and hands him some money. The director glances at it and then puts it in his pocket. As Steve goes to investigate the bridge panel, Agent Hill gives him a sidelong glance. I perk up and narrow my eyes at her.

Oh no, you don't! He's mine!

I start towards Steve, but at that moment, Fury seems to notice me. I halt as he steps in front of me, blocking my way to the bridge. I huff, and then sniff at his feet. A strong, musky scent fills my nose and I grimace. This man doesn't smell very nice.

Director Fury brushes past me and holds his hand out to Bruce, "Doctor, thank you for coming." Bruce hesitates, and then shakes his hand, saying, "Thanks for asking nicely. So, how long am I staying?"

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the wind."

As Bruce asks, "Where are you with that?" I turn away and start looking around again. The agents are at the computers, typing away determinedly. I notice Natasha bending down and gazing at a picture of a man on one of the computers. Since I can't read, I peek into her mind and find out that the guy is her partner, Clint Barton.

Huffing, I glance around and see Agent Hill overseeing all of the other agents. She doesn't seem to be doing anything in particular, so I trod up to her casually. She looks up in surprise as I approach, "Oh! A dog. Right."

This part has no railings, so I stretch my neck and sniff her arm, since she's slightly lower than me. The agent looks taken aback, but then awkwardly pats my head. My tail wags as I continue sniffing her- she smells good! It's odd, as if it isn't her real scent, because I can faintly pick up something behind it. Whatever it is, I like it. She smells like a bunch of fruit and flowers mixed together. **(a/n Perfume, guys, perfume)**

I take a step closer, trying to drink in more of her scent. Agent Hill backs up a bit and I notice the agent behind her glance up at us, smirk, and then turn away. Still wrapped up in her scent, I walk towards her, only to have my paws meet empty air.

I yelp and slip forward, crashing down into the computer area. Immediately, I scramble to my paws, only to trip on the leg of a computer chair and fall down again.

Agent Hill leans down and wraps her arms around me. With a grunt, she lifts me up and puts me back onto the bridge. Once she pulls away, I give myself a rough shake and look up.

Bruce, Steve, Fury, Natasha, and another man are all staring at me. Whining guiltily, I amble over to them. Stopping in front of Bruce, I gaze up at him and wag my tail sheepishly. He gives me a disapproving look and I whimper, tucking my tail between my legs and sitting down, my head bowed, "_Sorry, Bruce."_

Then, to my surprise, Steve _laughs. _We all look up at him as he chuckles and scratches my head. I let my tongue loll out and wag my tail between my legs.

Steve laughs again and Bruce shakes his head. Turning to Director Fury, he asks, "Do you have somewhere for me to work?"

He nods and gestures to Natasha, "Agent Romanoff, could you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory, please?"

Natasha walks over and leads Bruce away, "You're gonna love it, Doc. We got all the toys." Bruce follows her, but I hesitate.

Looking over my shoulder, I see Agent Hill glance at Steve again. Hmm… Defend Steve from Agent Hill, or Bruce from Natasha?

Then, I notice the agent from earlier also giving Steve looks. I peek into his mind, and learn that his name is Phil Coulson, and that he's a huge fan of Captain America. I nod in satisfaction. He should be able to protect my Steve from SHIELD females.

Turning around, I trot after Natasha and Bruce, determined not to let her get too close to my owner.

**Heheheheh, Amity is protective of her men.**

**Till next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	7. Chapter 7

**Awesomesauce, a new Sunday, a new chapter! Voila, here it is!**

**The title of this chapter is from Oh Honey 'Be Okay'**

**DISCLAIMER: I think we all know by now that I don't own Marvel**

Chapter Seven

I Believe We'll Be Okay

"Told you."

Bruce seems to barely notice Natasha as he stares in awe at the science lab. I glance around, amazed, but having no clue what half the things are. There are a lot of slim computers dappled around, as well as glowing tablets lying on the tables. Various unknown machines stand here and there, humming and blinking. I watch as Bruce walks up to one and runs his hand along it gently.

"This will do." he says, turning to Natasha, "This… uh… this is a good lab. Thank you."

"No prob, Doc." she replies, and then turns around and leaves. I huff in satisfaction and turn to Bruce. My owner is smiling, which makes my tail wag.

"How 'bout this, Amity?" he says, and I see his eyes darting to something on the table, "This is probably the fanciest place we've ever been."

"_I like Steve." _I say immediately, "_He's nice, salty, and smells like honeysuckle and wet pavement." _

Bruce gives me an odd look. "Honeysuckle and... wet pavement?" he echoes, automatically lowering his voice whenever he talks to me directly in a place that's not entirely private.

I nod and explain, "_Like, after it rains on a hot day, and the water is evaporating 'cause of the heat. That smell."_

"Okay, then." he says, sounding amused. As he moves along the table to the object he's been eyeing, I follow him. "_So, yeah, I like Steve. But apparently, so does Agent Hill, because she was giving him these looks. I mean, she smells really good too, like flowers and fruit, but I didn't want to leave her with Steve- who knows what she would've done! And then you and Natasha were going to the lab _alone, _and I didn't know who to protect. But then I went into Agent Coulson's mind and apparently he really likes Captain America, so I figured it would be okay to leave Steve in his hands, and I went after you to defend you from Natasha."_

"Defend me from Natasha?" Bruce raises an eyebrow, "Is that jealousy I hear, Amity?"

"_What?" _I exclaim, flattening my ears, "_No! I was just-" _I cut myself off, trying to find the right words, "_It's reasonable for me to be… wary of these SHIELD agents. Especially the females. They might use their entrancing feminism to lure my male humans into their traps."_

Bruce laughs and kneels down. Kissing my forehead, he says, "Don't worry. You're the most important girl in _my _life."

"_Good," _I say, licking his chin. As he stands up and returns to the table, I ask, "_So, what do you think, so far?"_

"I think…" he replies, pausing for a moment, "... that this could be alright. Fury doesn't seem to be after the monster, but…" He looks at me and my eyes widen. "_Oh, oops," _I say, dropping my head, "_I forgot to look for that… in his mind."_

"That would've been helpful." he mutters, and then starts doing something to the object on the table, "But it's alright."

"_Do you want me to go and check?" _I ask. Bruce shakes his head, "No, no, it's fine. Doesn't matter too much." I walk up to him and frown. He looks down at me, and I say, "_You're a really bad liar, Bruce."_

He hesitates, and then sighs. Leaning down, he scratches behind my ears and asks, "Nothing can get past you, can it?"

"_Nope!" _I reply cheerfully, lolling my tongue and wagging my tail. He smiles again, and then straightens up, "Alright, 'Mit. Try not to cause too much trouble. And come right back when you're done." He pauses, and then says, "Actually, you're probably bound to cause more trouble _here _with all this," he gestures to the science stuff, "than out there. But still, come back."

"_Don't worry, I will." _I promise, walking over to the door. It opens automatically and I walk out into the hallway. I'm starting to like this technology.

Padding through the hallway, I try to remember the way back to the bridge room. A few agents glance at me as I pass by, but don't say anything and continue on. Getting an idea, I pause and peek into one agent's mind. After a few moments of searching, I find the memorized route to the bridge room and pull back into my own head. The agent blinks, dazed, and then continues on with his life.

Trotting, I take a right turn, then a left, and then appear in front of the walkway to the bridge room. Walking through, I stop next to the table and look around. Director Fury is standing on the bridge, keeping an eye on things. I'm about to approach him, but then I notice Steve and Agent Coulson standing nearby and go to them.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble." I hear Coulson say as I get closer. Steve shakes his head, "No, no, it's fine."

Sticking my head in between the railings, I nudge his arm and he turns to me. "Oh, hey girl." he says, smiling. My tongue lolls as he pets me, his honeysuckle and wet pavement scent filling my nose. Coulson looks a little upset that I dragged his idol's attention away from him, but still smiles a little and pats my head, "Does Banner know she's out here?"

Before Steve can reply, a man sitting at a computer calls out, "We got a hit. A 67% match." Coulson immediately walks over to him, and I see Fury tap on the panels on the bridge. Steve says where he is, petting my head, but he watches them as the computer agent says, "Wait, crossmatch, 79%."

"Location?" Coulson asks. The agent pauses, gazing at the computer, and then replies, "Stuttgart, Germany. 28 Konigstrasse. He's not exactly hiding."

I frown, trying not to focus on Steve's petting. Who are they looking for again?

"Captain," Director Fury suddenly calls out. Steve looks up as he says, "You're up." The super soldier takes a deep breath and then nods. I poke into his mind, finding out that he's rather nervous, since this is his first mission ever since World War II.

I give his wrist a reassuring lick and he smiles at me before heading off. I stare after him, and then go do what I came here to do. Sliding out from between the railings, I pad up to the bridge and sit down. Director Fury glances at me, and I peer into his mind. Pushing past the situation in hand, I search for his intentions with my owner. Turns out, he didn't bring Bruce here because of the Hulk. Actually, the Hulk is the last thing he wants right now. He just needs Bruce for finding the Tesseract, and that's it.

Feeling successful, I pull out of his mind and, now that I'm focused on reality, see him gazing at me. How long have I been here, staring at him?

"What are you looking at?" the director asks, sounding slightly annoyed. I frown and huff. Rude. Walking up to him, I try to soften him up by looking adorable. Standing in front of him, I gaze up at him with big brown eyes and let my tongue loll out.

His lip twitches, almost like he's forcing himself not to smile. I tilt my head and wag my tail, using my magical charm. It seems to work, because after a moment he leans down and scratches my head.

"Remind me when Banner decided to get a dog." he asks an agent.

"I think she was a stray," the agent replies, "And he just took her in. About a year ago, actually."

Fury pulls away and glances at his hand. Turning to the agent, he says, "Get someone to buy some dog shampoo, and then leave it in Banner's room. She was a stray in India- she needs a proper bath."

"On it." the agent says, scurrying off. Fury walks away while I scoff indignantly. Apparently this man doesn't know that dogs are people too! Turning around, I start back towards the lab.

* * *

Science is many things.

Science is smart.

Science is confusing.

But mostly, science is _boring_.

Currently, I'm lying on my back on top of one of the tables, telekinetically twirling a pen above me. Meanwhile, Bruce is bustling around the lab busily, moving from one thing to another. As he works, he yaps on and on about what he's doing or how the stuff here is amazing. I just idly reply with a grunt or a 'yeah', more focused on seeing what I can do with the pen.

"The gamma rays of the Tesseract are very weak, like Fury said," Bruce babbles, "But they definitely are there. They're becoming stronger now that they're getting more spectrometers out there."

"_Mmm hmm." _I reply, flicking the pen in the air, then releasing my telekinetic hold on it for a moment as it soars before catching it as it falls. Bruce pauses, glancing at me, "You don't care about this, do you?"

"_Oh, I do!" _I say, setting the pen down and turning to him, "_I just don't understand one bit of it."_

He sighs and shrugs, "Well, I can't say I expected you to. I've been doing this stuff for most of my life."

"_Great." _I huff, rolling onto my belly. Telekinetically bringing the pen in front of me, I start twiddling with it again. "_But you do need a break from it sometimes. Are they expecting you to work through the night?" _I ask, glancing the time on one of the computer screens. It's 10pm.

"I don't know." Bruce shrugs again, "But I'm not _that _tired." I give him a 'seriously?' look. When will he learn that he's a terrible liar? His face screams the truth. What with his weary expression and drooping shoulders, he looks he could use a good night's sleep.

Bruce hums lightly at my look and says, "Okay, maybe I am a bit tired. But the more work I get done, the sooner we can leave."

"_True." _I sniff, and continue doing things with the pen, "_So, where are you with finding the Tesseract?" _

"Uhh…" Bruce says as he taps something on the computer, and then moves to another object, "Not very far. I don't think I have enough-" He suddenly cuts off, staring out the window, "Amity!"

"_What?" _I ask, tilting my head. Then, I notice an agent approaching the lab and immediately drop my telekinetic hold on the pen. The agent walks in just as I scramble to the ground.

He glances at me, and then addresses Bruce, "Dr. Banner, we have a room set up for you. A few hours ago, Captain Rogers and Agent Romanoff left to where Loki, the one who stole the Tesseract, was spotted. However, that happened to be in Germany, so they may be a while. Meanwhile, Director Fury suggests that you eat and take a rest."

"Alright." Bruce says, already knowing this from me, and then turns away, "Let me finish up here, and then you can lead the way." The agent nods and waits as Bruce rummages around. I watch as he taps a few buttons, puts stuff away, and then gestures to the agent.

He smiles and leads us into the hallway. I pad by my owner's side as we walk through the Helicarrier, dodging agents and whoever else is up at this time. Bruce makes small talk with our guide, but the journey is mostly in silence.

Then, we stop in front of a normal-looking door that probably won't slide open automatically. Proving myself right, I step in front of it, but it doesn't move. I huff in satisfaction.

The agent leaves, but not before giving Bruce the directions to the food court. My owner thanks him and then opens the door manually. Inside, the room is fairly big, complete with a medium-sized bed, a desk, and a bathroom. I walk in first, sniffing at the carpet underpaw. It smells like this room isn't used very often.

Grimacing, I turn to Bruce, who is looking around with a satisfied expression. When he catches my gaze, he says, "This is alright. I mean, I would expect something way fancier from these people, but hey, it's better than Calcutta, right?"

"_True." _I admit. Walking towards the bed, I leap onto it and flop down, "_I'm tired. Today was exciting." _

Bruce agrees and starts to explore the room. I watch as he inspects a small box on the wall, and then turns his attention to the desk. Noticing a large bag beside it, he bends down and picks it up.

"_What's that?" _I ask. He pauses before replying, "Dog food." Narrowing his eyes, he opens the bag and looks inside, "I think." Closing it, he turns it around and examines the backside. A moment later, he shakes his head and scoffs, "It might as well be stale popcorn. They're seriously trying to feed this to dogs?" Shaking his head again, he says, "Don't worry, I'll get you something better in the food court. Come on, I'm hungry."

"_Alright." _I yawn, stretching, "_I guess we can sleep later." _Jumping off of the bed, I follow him outside again.

The trip to the food court doesn't take very long. I can smell the place before we reach it, though. Not many people are there when we enter, but the ones that are all glance up from their meals. Bruce shifts uncomfortably and walks towards the counter. I follow him, glaring at the people, who awkwardly turn back to their meals.

My nose makes me turn to the counter, which has a million different scents on it. Rearing up on my hind legs, I put my forepaws on the surface, only to have Bruce push me off, "Down." Thankfully, I had enough time to catch a glimpse of the counter.

Rows of different foods line the surface, all put in individual metal, rectangular bowls built into the counter. I watch as Bruce grabs a plate, and then starts filling it up. As he moves along, he grabs different foods with odd utensils. At one point, he pauses, glances at me, and then adds something else to his plate.

Then, he turns around and leads the way to a table. I follow him, my tail wagging at the prospect of food, and sit down by his leg as he takes a seat.

"_What'd you get me?" _I ask, lolling my tongue as I gaze up at him. Bruce smiles and puts down a fried chicken breast in front of me, "Here you go, 'Mit."

"_Thanks!" _I start wolfing down the chicken. The meat disappears pretty quickly, but I take my time on the bones, not wanting a splinter to get caught in my throat. When I'm done, I glance up at Bruce again and give him what he calls 'puppy-dog' eyes.

He chuckles softly and tosses me a chicken leg. I snatch it out of the air and pin it to the ground with my paws. Getting an idea, I carefully peel the meat off of the bone with my telekinesis. Then, I gobble it up and start working on the bone.

"Careful, Amity." Bruce warns. I roll my eyes, still gnawing, and reply, "_It's fine, I've got it. The breast was harder than this."_

Bruce doesn't reply, but I can tell he found my reply amusing. I don't know why, but I'm too busy with the bone to care.

Soon, both Bruce and I have had our fill, and we head back to the room. I immediately jump onto the bed, turn in a circle, and plop down. Bruce sits down next to me and pauses, drumming his fingers on his knee.

I frown and nudge his leg, making him look at me, "_Why are you so worked up? Things have gone pretty well, so far, and Fury doesn't want anything to do with the Hulk."_

"I know, I know." he says, petting my head, "I just…" He trails off, and then sighs. A moment later, though, he smiles and glances at me, "I miss Indian food. That salad was horrible."

I snort and he laughs. Standing up, he walks over to the bathroom and washes his hands. Before he walks back, though, something in the bathroom catches his eye and he goes over to it, disappearing behind the wall.

Sighing, I slide off of the bed and pad into the smaller room, just in time to hear Bruce exclaim, "Oh, wonderful!"

"_What's wonderful?" _I ask and he turns to me, holding a pink bottle. I gaze at it skeptically, but Bruce looks pretty pleased.

"Director Fury sent this." he says, and I notice a note in his other hand, "He says I should give you a bath, and I fully agree with him."

"_A bath?" _I ask, "_I've had one of those before."_

"Oh, no." Bruce says, shaking his head, "A _proper _bath, not just a rinse off with water. One with soap, or in your case," He gestures to the bottle, "dog shampoo."

"_I thought only humans used soap?" _I say, not feeling too psyched about this. Bruce smiles and puts down the bottle, and then takes off my collar. "_Wait, right now?" _I ask, backing away, "_Bruce, it's late."_

"Well, I'm not going to do it in the morning." he replies, and then adds cheekily, "Plus, it's the Director's orders."

I wrinkle my muzzle and scoff. Bruce grins, and then wraps one arm underneath my torso and the other around my rear. With a grunt, he lifts me into the air and I yelp. Stumbling a little, he carries me over to the tub and somewhat roughly plops me in it.

"Geez, Amity." Bruce says, panting, "I don't even want to think about how heavy you'll be when you're full-grown!"

"_Two things." _I say as he turns on the water, "_One, this is really unnecessary, and two, I think I'm done growing."_

Bruce sits back and watches the tub start to fill up, "One, this _is _necessary, because you're dirty, and two, you haven't stopped yet, so I'm assuming you're not done."

"_Whatever." _I reply, glancing down nervously as the water laps at my ankles. I shuffle uncomfortably, and Bruce starts rummaging through the cabinet underneath the sink. A few moments later, he takes out a bucket and brings it over to the tub.

Once the water has risen so much it's almost touching my belly, he turns the faucet off. Then, he fills up his bucket, and to my surprise, pours it over me.

"_Ahh!" _I exclaim, flattening my ears. Bruce puts his hand on my shoulders to stop me from shaking, much to my displeasure. "_Bruce!" _I whine, and he replies by pouring more water on me, "_Ugh! Stop it!"_

My owner laughs and sets down the bucket, then picks up the bottle. He raises it over me, and I squeeze my eyes shut as he pours the sticky shampoo all over my body.

"_Bruce," _I say, my telepathic tone irritated, "_This is disgusting." _Grinning, he starts rubbing the shampoo into my pelt and I grimace. The thick, sticky stuff sinks through my short fur and settles on my skin as he scrubs. He starts on my neck and shoulders, and then gradually works his way down my body. I stay rooted to the spot, too grossed out to move.

When his hands approach my hindquarters, I feel him beginning to hesitate. I glance back at him and he meets my gaze. After a pause, he quickly scrubs my hind legs, and then my tail. I simply glare, daring him to say anything.

Thankfully, he soon moves away from my rear and starts rubbing soap into my belly. Grabbing my foreleg, he pulls it out of the water, making me balance on three legs. Once he's done washing it, he does the same to the other three, and then pours more shampoo onto his hand before scrubbing my chest and underneck.

Finally, he picks up the bucket again and starts washing the soap off of me. I'm relieved to be rid of the sticky stuff, but I know that the water will take longer to remove.

Now soap-free, I stand in the sud-filled water and glowering at Bruce. He smiles, and then takes a large towel off of the rack attached to the wall and sets it on the floor, "Alright, you can come out now." he says, patting it.

I stay in the water, glaring at him. "What?" he asks, and I turn away from him with an indignant sniff, "Oh, you're giving me the silent treatment because you're mad about getting a bath?" I don't reply, staring at the wall.

Bruce sighs and stands up. Leaning down, he wraps his arms wrap around me, but then I get an idea and wriggle out of his grasp. Rearing up on my hind legs, I throw myself onto his leaning form, wrap my forepaws around his torso, and then send him crashing down into the tub. Using my telekinesis, I make sure his head doesn't hit anything, but don't bother to stop the huge splash that thoroughly soaks my owner.

"Amity!" he exclaims and I yelp in excitement, using my forepaws to splash him again. "_Gotcha!" _I laugh as he scrambles to get out of the tub. Leaping out after him, I top it all off with a long-awaited shake of my pelt.

"Ack!" he splutters, covering his face with his arms to protect him from the onslaught of water droplets. Kneeling down, he quickly throws the towel over me and starts scrubbing, trying to dry my as quickly as he can. Meanwhile, I get lost in a world of white fluffiness as my vision is obscured by the towel.

A couple of minutes later, Bruce lets me up and I clamber to my paws. I shake the towel off of my face and it falls onto my backside and shoulders. Bruce is leaning back, his knees bent, and is using his hands to prop him up from behind. He's totally soaked and his wet hair is dripping into his face, but he's smiling.

"_You were going to take a bath anyway." _I say in my defense, walking in between his legs, "_So, why not?" _I lick a water droplet off of his chin and, to my surprise, he lets me. Laughing, he grabs my face in his hands and kisses my forehead, "I love you, Amity."

When he pulls away, I feel my heart swell at his expression. I've only ever seen him _truly_ happy a few times, but whenever I do, it seems like the whole room has brightened up. With my tail wagging, I whine in joy and lick his nose.

"_I love you too, Bruce."_

***emotionally dies***

**Till next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	8. Chapter 8

**Snap, crackle, pop, it's Sunday! Here is another chapter for my lovely readers! According to Doc Manager, it's actually kind of short, so... sorry. I didn't realize it while I was writing. Anyhow, read on, my lovelies. **

**The title of this chapter is from Lorde 'Team'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Eight

Now Bring My Boys In

'Beep'

'Beep'

'Beep'

"_Bruce." _I moan, rolling onto my back, "_Turn it off." _The beeping continues, and I notice how the bed feels unusually comfortable. "_Bruce!" _my telepathic voice is louder, and I feel him jerk awake next to me.

With a soft clap, the beeping stops and I let out a sigh. Opening my eyes, I see that we're in the bedroom that SHIELD gave us. Ahh, right.

"Come on, Amity." Bruce says, pulling the sheets off of him and standing, "Up and at 'em."

"_Nooooo!" _I whine, rolling onto my side. Covering my face with my paws, I complain, "_I'm tired! Let's go back to sleep!" _Bruce walks over and rubs his hand on my flank, trying to keep me awake. I just groan and roll onto my other side, "_Go on. Go get ready. I'll be here."_

"Fine." he says, and then walks to the bathroom. A few moments later, I hear the shower being turned on. Sighing, I close my eyes and try to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, my mind doesn't feel like letting my body rest, so a couple of minutes later, I roll into a sitting position.

Opening my jaws in a huge yawn, I lick my chops and then stretch. Shaking out my pelt, I stand up and jump down onto the carpeted floor. Then, I sit down and start washing my paws. The strange, lingering taste of shampoo meets my tongue and I grimace, pulling away. I hate baths.

After a little while, Bruce walks out of the bathroom in new clothing and smelling like water and human soap. I wag my tail at the sight of him, and then sneeze. My owner walks over to the desk, saying, "I'll be sure to avoid that area of carpet you just infected."

I scoff, "_Hey, I can't exactly sneeze into my elbow like humans can." _Bruce smiles and starts brushing his short wavy hair, "I know, I was just teasing you."

Sniffing, I walk up to him and nudge his leg, "_Where'd you get those clothes? Did they bring them over?" _He nods, and then takes some shoes out of a bag in the bathroom and puts them on. As he does, I ask, "_Can we eat first?"_

"Of course," he replies, standing up, "Can't work on an empty stomach." He leads the way to the door, and together we walk into the hallway. The trip to the food court doesn't take very long, and we're soon seated at a table with food. Bruce is eating some fruit, waffles, and orange juice, while I'm devouring a plate of sausages, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Honestly, one of my favorite parts about humans is the wonderful foods they can invent.

"_I wonder if Steve and Natasha are back from getting Loki." _I say to Bruce as he finishes up. He glances around, making sure none of the agents are eavesdropping, and then mutters lowly, "They'll probably be back soon. Germany is rather far away."

"_I guess." _I lick some bits of food off of my muzzle, "_I've never been there, though." _

"Let's go to the lab." he says, standing up and bringing his tray over to the trash can. He tosses anything left, and then adds the tray to the stack on top. Then, he walks over to the door and starts towards the lab. I follow him, padding by his side.

Once we're there, Bruce resumes his work and I resume my position on the table. At one point, an agent checks in on us to make sure Bruce is here, and then leaves.

"_You know, I kinda like this place," _I say, splayed out on my side on the table, "_But the agents can be annoying."_

"Yeah," Bruce says as he approaches a big machine with a glowing metal ball in the center, "But hopefully I'll be done soon and we can be on our way." He studies the metal ball and the other two things pointing at it, and I see blue energy touch the ball from time to time.

"_Where are we heading after this?" _I ask as he works on it, "_Back to Calcutta, or… are we going to hang out in America. Aren't you from there? I think it would be interesting-"_

Bruce interrupts me, "Yeah, but… no." At my questioning look, he continues, "Too many people and, well, the army doesn't exactly like me. And it's a little too close to SHIELD for my liking-" He suddenly cuts off, staring at something outside the window. I turn around and follow his gaze.

A group of SHIELD agents are walking down the hallway, surrounding a person in handcuffs. Narrowing my eyes, I see that the man is pale, with long black hair and strange clothing. As he passes by the window, he turns and smirks knowingly at Bruce. Immediately, I stand up and growl, raising my hackles. The person glances at me, and then disappears behind the wall.

I huff and turn around. Bruce takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes, sighing. Tilting my head, I send soothing thoughts into his mind, and then ask, "_What was that all about?"_

Bruce walks over to me and pets my head, "I think we just met Loki." I frown and jump off of the table, "_That's not good. What should we-"_

Suddenly, an agent enters the room and I jump in surprise, whirling around. She stands stiffly and says, "Dr. Banner, please follow me." Bruce hesitates, and then nods, following the agent out of the room. I trail after them, glancing around to see where Loki went, but he's nowhere in sight.

The woman leads us back to the bridge room, which is darkened by the gray clouds outside. I notice Steve, Natasha, and another man are gathered around the table. Immediately, I break forward and rush towards the super soldier, barely stopping myself from exclaiming in his mind, "_Steve!" _

I snuffle at his feet, taking in an earthy scent, and notice that he's in his suit. Steve smiles a little and pets me, but I can tell something is bothering him. Peering into his mind, I learn that he practically lost a fight with Loki, is concerned about why he let them take him, and that someone named Tony Stark is annoying.

I hesitate, and then send some calming thoughts into his mind. After a moment, he relaxes and takes a seat. I rest my head on his lap and he scratches behind my ears.

Meanwhile, Bruce glances at me and stays standing. As Natasha takes a seat, I hear some beeping, and then Director Fury's voice comes through a tablet built into the table, "**In case it's unclear, if you try to escape, if you so much as scratch that glass,"** Some more beeping, and then the sound of whirring wind, "**It's 30,000 feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" **Another beep and the wind stops, "**Ant. Boot."**

I glance up, but I can't see the screen.

A smooth, clear voice with a strange accent chuckles, "**It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."**

"**Built for something a lot stronger than you." **Fury replies.

The voice, which I assume belongs to Loki, says, "**Oh, I've heard. A mindless beast, makes play he's still a man." **I frown and Natasha looks up from the tablet. She glances at Bruce, who is standing with his arms crossed. He nods slightly and I realize that Loki is talking about him.

"_You're not a mindless beast." _I reassure him, "_You know that." _He doesn't show any acknowledgement of my comment, but I know he heard it.

"**How desperate are you, that you call on such lost creatures to defend you?" **

"**How desperate am I?" **Fury says threateningly, "**You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace, and you kill because it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did."**

"**Ooh. It burns you to have come so close." **Loki sneers and I flatten my ears, "**To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share." **I narrow my eyes and glance at Bruce.

"_What's that supposed to mean?" _I ask, and a thoughtful look appears on his face.

"**And then to be reminded what real power is."**

Fury pauses, and then I hear his footsteps, "**Well, let me know if 'real power' wants a magazine or something." **There's a moment of silence, and then Bruce says, "He really grows on you, doesn't he?"

I snort and Steve scratches my head, saying, "Loki's gonna drag this out." Looking at someone across the table, he asks, "So, Thor, what's his play?"

Sliding my head off of his lap, I turn and look at 'Thor'. He has long blond hair, strange clothes, and is really big. Quickly poking into his mind, I learn that he and his brother, Loki, are from another realm called Asgard, and that Loki hates him and is going to lead an army called the Chitauri against Earth. I frown and pull out of his mind.

With a concerned look on his face, Thor says, "He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard, nor any world known." Turning to the others, he continues, "He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth in return, I suspect, for the Tesseract." Behind him, Maria steps up from the bridge and watches us.

"An army," Steve states, "from outer space." I snuffle and walk back over to him, resting my head on his lap. He doesn't pet me, though, which is disappointing.

Bruce takes off his glasses and says, "So, he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for." I blink in surprise. Who's Erik Selvig?

"Selvig?" Thor asks. Bruce glances at him and explains, "He's an astrophysicist."

"He's a friend." Thor replies.

Natasha speaks up, "Loki has him under some kind of spell," Her expression falters as she adds, "Along with one of ours."

"I want to know why Loki let us take him." Steve says, letting his hand drop to my scruff and rubbing me idly, "He's not leading an army from here." He glances at Natasha, but instead Bruce says, "I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats. You could smell crazy on him."

"_I wouldn't be surprised if I _could_." _I say to Bruce and his lip twitches.

Thor steps forward slightly and defends, "Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard. And he is my brother."

"He killed 80 in two days." Natasha states bluntly. Thor hesitates, and then says lamely, "He's adopted."

"I think it's about the mechanics." Bruce says, "Iridium… What do they need the iridium for?"

Suddenly, a voice calls out, "It's a stabilizing agent." Everyone glances over and I have to look underneath the table to see two men, one of them being Agent Coulson, walking in. I enter the other man's mind, learn that he's Tony Stark and that apparently he's a really important genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.

To Coulson, Tony says, "I'm just saying, pick a weekend, I'll fly you to Portland. Keep love alive." Coulson shakes his head, mutters something, and points to us before moving away. Tony continues walking into the room, "It means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at SHIELD."

Going up to Thor, he says, "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing." He pats the Asgardian's arm with the back of his hand, "Also, it means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as Loki wants." Agent Hill rolls her eyes slightly and moves as he passes and walks onto bridge.

To the agents, Tony gestures and says, "Uh, raise the mizzenmast. Jib the topsails." The agents stare at him as if he's crazy.

Tony points to someone in the crowd, "That man is playing Galaga!" Steve glances around awkwardly. "Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did."

The genius looks at the panels, covers one eye, and then drops his hand, "How does Fury even see these?"

"He turns." Agent Hill replies coldly, her arms crossed. Her tone surprises me, and I tilt my head. She doesn't like him at all. Maybe it's because that's where Fury usually stands, and he's her boss, and then Tony is just- _ohhhh! _Wait a minute! I think something's going on between her and Fury! Well, well, well, SHIELD just became way more interesting to me now.

"Sounds exhausting." Tony mutters, turning around. He starts tapping one of the panels, "The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. The only major component he still needs is a power source of high-energy density. Something to," he makes a gesture with his hands, "Kick-start the cube."

"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Agent Hill challenges. Yeah, she really doesn't like him very much. The genius looks at her and replies simply, "Last night. The packet, Selvig's notes, the extraction theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?"

As he walks back to the table, Steve asks, "Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?"

"He would have to heat the cube to 120 million Kelvin just to break through the coulomb barrier." Bruce says, and I glance at him. He's pacing, and he looks kind of nervous, so I send some soothing thoughts to his mind.

Tony nods and starts walking towards him, "Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect."

"Well, if he could do that," my owner counters, "he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the planet."

Tony raises his arms, looking satisfied, "Finally someone who speaks English." He approaches Bruce and they shake hands. Meanwhile, Steve asks bluntly, "Is that what just happened?" I huff and walk over to him, resting my head on his lap once more. He smiles and rubs my ear. I snuff happily and watch Bruce and Tony.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner." Tony says, and they drop hands, "Your work on anti electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage-monster."

I frown and my owner presses his lips into a thin line, "Thanks." Taking a quick poke in his mind, I learn that he was really excited about Tony Stark being here because he's a fan of the genius's work. And then Tony kinda just blew it when he mentioned the Hulk.

To make him feel better, I remind him, "_You're not a monster. He's just being immature." _Bruce glances at me, but just then Director Fury walks in.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him." he says as he enters.

"I would start with that stick of his." Steve comments as he pets me, "It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon."

Fury nods and says, "I don't know about that, but it _is_ powered by the cube. And I would like to know how Loki used it to turn the two sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys."

I frown. What?

Thor looks confused as well and says, "Monkeys? I do not understand."

"I do!" Steve suddenly exclaims and I jerk in surprise. Grumbling, I slide my head off of his lap and trudge over to Bruce. "I understood that reference." the super soldier continues, glancing at Tony.

The genius rolls his eyes and turns to Bruce, "Shall we play, doctor?"

My owner nods and gestures to to walkway, "This way, sir." As they head away, Bruce snaps his fingers and calls, "'Mit, come." I immediately follow him and Tony into the walkway.

Tony glances at me, "Great! I love dogs." I can't tell if he's being serious or sarcastic, but then he gives my head a scratch and I wag my tail. "What's his name?" he asks Bruce, "Fido? Murphy? Spike?"

"None of those." My owner replies, "Her-"

"Oh, it's a her?" Tony asks, sounding somewhat surprised. I sniff indignantly. I don't look like a male, do I?

"Okay, then." the genius continues, "Sparkles, right?"

"Oh, God no!" Bruce chuckles and shakes his head, "No, no, no. Her name is Amity."

Tony nods and echoes, "Amity. That's a nice name." he looks down at me and adds, "I would've thought she looks more like a Bella, maybe a Vixen." As he continues rambling on, I slow down and walk behind them, listening idly. Everything this man says is so… odd. He strays off of the conversation topic a lot, making me think he has that ADHD thing Bruce told me about once.

At one point, I comment to my owner, "_Bruce, this guy is so random!"_

He smiles a little and continues conversing with Tony. I huff and follow them as they enter the lab. Tony starts asking where Bruce is at finding the Tesseract and I break off from them, leaping onto the table I was on earlier.

To my surprise, though, Bruce comes over to me and scolds, "Down, Amity. No jumping on tables." I stare at him, and then slide off of my perch. He helps me get down, muttering a quiet, "Sorry." before returning to Tony.

I sit awkwardly beside the table, watching them as they work. Well, I can't exactly have a decent conversation with Bruce or play with my telekinesis, since Tony is around….

… Now what?

**Omg, btw, did anyone see Age of Ultron?! It was soooooo amazing! There was so much Science Bros and I am also pretty sure there was some Stony stuff there. Aww, and Clint and-and-and- crap, I can't spoil it! Oh, so much action and romance and humor and I just loved it! The new characters are awesome, too!**

**Ultron's a sassy asshole**

**'Till next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	9. Chapter 9

**Happy Mother's Day to my wonderful readers! I hope you all have a fantastic day and, if you haven't already done so yet, call your mother and tell her you love her because you would not even exist without her.**

**I think we all already know that though...**

**The title of this chapter is from Colbie Caillat 'Realize'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Nine

I Am On Your Side

I let out a yawn, watching as Bruce uses a thing with a wire and hovers it over the scepter. Tony is on the other side of the room, looking at a tablet attached to a box-like thing. I lay on the floor, listening idly at their conversation.

"The gamma readings are definitely consistent with Selvig's reports of the Tesseract," Bruce says, looking at one of the many screens, "But it's going to take weeks to process."

I frown and say to him, "_We're not going to stay here for _that _long, right?"_

From across the room, Tony says, "If we bypass their mainframe and direct route to the homer cluster, we can clock this at around 600 teraflops." I groan and roll onto my back. There's just too much science!

My owner chuckes and jokes, "All I packed was a toothbrush."

Tony walks over to him, brushing past me without a second glance, "You know, you should come by Stark Tower sometime. Top ten floors, all R&amp;D." I narrow my eyes suspiciously as he picks up a sharp, metal stick, "You'd love it. It's Candy Land."

Without looking up, Bruce replies, "Thanks, but the last time I was in New York, I kind of broke… Harlem." Ahh, so _that's_ why he doesn't want to stay in New York after this.

"Well, I promise a stress-free environment." Tony says, walking around him, "No tension, no surprises." He suddenly pokes Bruce's side with the stick and I hear an electric discharge. I leap to my paws and growl as my owner yelps, "Ow!"

"Hey!" Just then, Steve walks in, still wearing his uniform. Tony ignores him and instead inquires to Bruce, "Nothing?"

"Are you nuts?" Steve asks angrily, approaching them. The genius glances at him while my owner continues his work. I walk underneath the table and put myself between him and Tony, glaring up at the other man.

"Jury's out." Tony says, and then turns to Bruce, "You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz, bongo drums, a huge bag of weed?" I resist growling in his mind, "_Or me."_

To my surprise, though, Bruce is smiling a little. I pause, thinking. When was the last time he met someone who was comfortable enough to tease him about that? And now here is Tony, who isn't really afraid of him like most people. I try peering into Tony's mind, and learn that he thinks that Bruce is really cool, and not just because of the Hulk, and just wants to be his friend.

My tail wags and I stop growling. Bruce needs a good friend, other than me.

"Is everything a joke to you?" Steve asks sternly. Tony turns and points the stick at him, "Funny things are."

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny." The super soldier retorts, and then adds to Bruce, "No offense, Doc."

Bruce shakes his head, "It's all right, I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things." He looks a little shaken, and when he leans down to pet me, I know that he needs help calming down. Friendly or not, Tony still shocked him with a stick, and the Hulk probably isn't reacting very well to electricity. As I send soothing thoughts to his mind, Tony walks around the table and waves the stick at him, "You're tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut."

"And _you _need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark." Steve reminds him.

"Do you think I'm not?" Tony asks, walking back to the table with a bag or blueberries, "Why did Fury call us in? Why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables."

"You think Fury's hiding something?" Steve inquires. I notice how, in Bruce's mind, he starts feeling a little bothered at that statement. He thinks Fury's hiding something about one of Loki's gibes during the interrogation.

"He's a spy." Tony replies, "Captain, he's 'the' spy. His secrets have secrets." he pops some blueberries into his mouth, and then gestures to Bruce, "It's bugging him, too. Isn't it?"

Bruce looks up, surprised at being addressed, and then shakes his hands, "Uh…I just want to finish my work here and…"

"Doctor?" Steve urges. My owner sighs and takes off his glasses, petting my head again, "'A warm light for all mankind'. Loki's jab at Fury about the cube."

The super soldier nods, "I heard it."

"I think that was meant for you." Bruce says, gesturing to Tony, who just offers the bag of blueberries. He takes some, and then continues, "Even if Barton didn't tell Loki about the Tower, it was still all over the news."

"The Stark Tower?" Steve asks, "That big ugly-" he pauses when Tony arches an eyebrow at him, "... building in New York?"

"It's powered by an arc reactor," Bruce explains, but I'm just watching the eye contest between Tony and Steve. Tony has an 'oh really?' expression on his face, and Steve eyes are basically screaming out a challenge. Unfortunately, Bruce doesn't seem to notice and continues, "A self-sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for, what, a year?"

"It's just the prototype." Tony tells him, and then says to Steve, "I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now. That's what he's getting at."

"So, why didn't SHIELD bring him in on the Tesseract project? What are they doing in the energy business in the first place?" Bruce's nails dig a bit deeper into my scruff as he scratches me, and I wince. Peering into his mind, I try calming him down again. He's starting to doubt that Fury only wants him here for finding the Tesseract, but soon relaxes a bit.

Tony moves away and looks down at his phone, "I should probably look into that once my decryption program finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files."

I blink in surprise. Steve turns to him, "I'm sorry. Did you say…?"

"Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge." the genius replies, pocketing his phone. I tilt my head. Who's Jarvis? "In a few hours, I'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide. Blueberry?"

He offers the bag to Steve, who just says, "And yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around."

"An intellectual organization that fears intelligence?" Tony inquires, "Historically, not awesome."

"I think Loki's trying to wind us up." Steve says, "This is a man who means to start a war, and if we don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them."

"Following's not really my style." Tony states, casually eating blueberries.

Steve puts on a fake smile and counters, "And you're all about style, aren't you?"

"Of the people in this room, which one is, A, wearing a spangly outfit, and, B, not of use?"

I growl disapprovingly. Don't be mean to my Steve!

There's a pause, and then Bruce speaks up, "Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?" He straightens up and I shake out my scruff.

Steve glances between the two and then walks away, "Just fine the cube." I gaze after him, watching as he hesitates outside, and then walks down the right side of the hallway.

Meanwhile, Bruce picks up a tablet and walks to the other side of the room, studying it. Tony, who starts working on a screen dropping down from the ceiling, scoffs, "That's the guy my dad never shut up about? I'm wondering if they shouldn't have kept him on ice."

"_I think Steve is right about Loki having an advantage over us." _I say to Bruce, "_But I agree with Tony about SHIELD. I don't trust them very much."_

My owner pauses, listening, and then repeats what I said to Tony, "Steve _is _right about Loki having an advantage over us."

Tony walks over, saying, "What he's got is an Acme dynamite kit. It's going to blow up in his face. And I'm going to be there when it does." He starts working on the tablet in the box thing.

"Yeah." Bruce says, "I'll read all about it."

"Uh huh." Tony replies skeptically, and then says, "Or you'll be suiting up with the rest of us." I huff and shake my head. No, he won't.

Bruce chuckles humorlessly, "You see, I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed. Like a nerve." He pauses, and then adds, "It's a nightmare."

"I've got a cluster of shrapnel trying every second to crawl its way into my heart. This stops it." Tony says, patting his chest. I notice a faint blue glow through his shirt. "This little circle of light, it's part of me now, not just armor." He stands on the opposite side of the screen, "It's a terrible privilege."

"But you can control it."

"Because I learned how."

I nod in understanding. If Bruce could learn how to control the Hulk, if it's possible, then he might actually be able to do some good with it. Maybe Tony could help, too!

Bruce shakes his head and sighs, "It's different." He goes to tap something, but Tony clears the screen with a swipe.

"Hey, I read all about your accident." the genius says, "That much gamma exposure should have killed you."

"So you're saying that the Hulk…" he pauses, "...the Other Guy saved my life? That's nice." he nods, "It's a nice sentiment. Saved it for what?"

Tony gazes at him for a moment, and then says, "I guess we'll find out." He walks away, and Bruce sighs again. I meet his gaze, and then he calls after Tony, "You may not enjoy that."

"And you just might."

* * *

"She looks bored."

I blink and gaze up at Tony, who's suddenly standing in front of me. He grabs a metal stick off of the table I'm lying next to and waves it in the air, "Do you play Fetch? Huh?" He tosses the stick a few feet away, "Fetch!"

I stare at it blankly, and then look back at Tony. He seems disappointed, "No?" Peering into his mind, I learn that he wants me to get the stick and bring it back to him. Sighing, I stand up and walk over to the stick. Why can't he get it himself?

I carefully grab the metal stick in my jaws, just in case it's electric like the one he shocked Bruce with, and then carry it back to Tony.

He takes it from my mouth and huffs, "Well, that was lame."

"She's not a huge fan of Fetch." Bruce says from across the room. Tony pouts, and then kneels down and holds out his hand, "Shake."

I look down at his hand and sniff it. Ugh, he smells like metal and alcohol. Wrinkling my nose, I take a risk and lick his finger. Mmm, at least he's salty.

Tony pulls his hand away and stands up, "Well, she doesn't play Fetch, she doesn't know tricks- what do you do with her?"

Bruce walks over to us and kneels down, stroking my back. I lean into his side lovingly as he says, "She… keeps me calm. And she's a really good friend." Rubbing my ear, he plants a kiss on my temple and then stands up.

"Ahh, so _she's _your secret." Tony says, nodding, "Thought it would be something like meditation, or yoga, but a dog," he leans over and pats my head, "Yeah, a dog's good. Is she a special therapy dog or something?"

Bruce shakes his head, "No, Amity was a stray. I found her in India." He moves back to the table, gesturing for Tony to follow, "Now, all we have to do is get the model locked, and then wait while it sweeps for the gamma signature."

"Great." Tony says, standing beside him as they focus on a screen coming down from the ceiling, "Then, hopefully, Jarvis will have finished running the decryption program and we can hit SHIELD's jackpot of secrets."

"Yeah." Bruce agrees, although he doesn't sound so confident. They start tapping the screen and I watch them, seated underneath the table. A few minutes later, Tony moves to the box-tablet across the room and Bruce sends something to him.

I sigh, bored, and then decide to investigate Loki's scepter on the table. Walking over, I stand in front of the table and gaze at it. The glowing blue stone in the fork of the staff is fascinating, although I can sense something odd about it.

Frowning, I take a step closer, staring at it unblinkingly. It's like… I can sense something else around it. Magic, maybe? But no, this is more like… it reminds me of when I found the Hulk's conscience in Bruce's mind for the first time.

My eyes widen in realization. Wait a minute- Loki used this scepter to control the minds of Clint Barton and Erik Selvig, right? How is that possible unless…

I glance at Bruce uncertainly, and then stretch my mind out to it. To my surprise, I actually find something to latch onto, which is weird, because it's a stone. I hesitate, and then plunge into the strange aura.

Immediately, electric blue vines lunge towards my conscience, trying to wrap around it and ensnare me. I feel my mind beginning to slow down, the blue thickening, and an odd sense of peace fills my body.

Fortunately, I come to my senses before the stone can completely control me and pull my mind backwards, snapping the vines and tearing them away.

Jerking back into my own head, I realize that I haven't moved at all, although I'm panting a bit from the metal effort. Once I recover, I gaze at the stone again, but with new inquiry now. How does this thing control minds? Why does it have an aura, or something to latch onto if it's just a stone? Stones can't have a conscience!

"It's weird." Tony says, snapping me back to reality, "She's just _staring _at it." I blink and look over my shoulder. Tony is watching me with interest. Turning to Bruce, I see him give me a warning glance, and then walk towards the genius.

"I think dogs are attracted to the color blue," Bruce says casually, "Or something like that. Anyway, I sent you the file."

"Right." Tony focuses on the tablet again, swiping and tapping, "Now all we've gotta do is… done! The model is locked and searching for a signature."

"Great." Bruce says, and then leans against the table, "And now we wait."

Tony nods, "And now we wait." He grabs the bag of blueberries from the table and starts eating them. After a moment, he offers the bag to Bruce, who takes some. I just stare at them.

Then, Tony gets a mischievous look in his eyes and shakes the bag, "You hungry, girl? Catch!" He grabs a blueberry and tosses it towards me- at least, I think. The guy's a terrible shot, so I just use my telekinesis to make it look like he threw it into my mouth. The blueberry tastes good, so I whine for another.

Bruce shakes his head disapprovingly, "Don't feed her blueberries."

"Aww, but she likes them!" Tony pouts and I nod, gazing at Bruce. "_They're really good!" _I say to him, "_Like an explosion of sweet and sour. The skin is a bit dry, but it's chewy." _I see his lip twitch at my thorough analysis of the blueberry. Tony, however, is glancing from Bruce to me.

"On with the staring again." he says, and immediately my owner and I look away from each other, "Ha! She reacted to that, too! Honestly, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you and her were having a mental conversation."

Bruce stiffens a little and waves his hand dismissively, "Of course we weren't having a mental conversation!" He laughs nervously, and then shakes his head, "Excuse me. I need to use the bathroom."

He turns around and exits the lab. I glance at Tony to see him studying me. After a moment, he says, "There's something off about you, dog. I don't know what it is yet, but…. Something's definitely not right."

I shift uncomfortably. He's getting suspicious.

I watch as Tony reaches into his bag and takes out a blueberry. He holds it in the air, and then tosses it to me. I subtly fix his aim with my telekinesis and pluck the berry out of the air. Lapping it up, I look at him and whimper for more.

He grins and tosses me another. The berry almost flies over my head, but I force it down at the last moment. A sharp, sour taste fills my mouth and I wrinkle my nose. Ugh, that one was tart.

Tony notices my distaste and asks, "Got a bad one? I hate when that happens. Here." This time, when he tosses, it's more like a throw. I yelp in surprise as the blueberry bounces off of my nose and falls to the side. Without thinking, I use my telekinesis to zip back into my mouth. In the blink of an eye, it disappears down my throat and Tony gasps.

I wince, looking at my paws. Oh, I'm in trouble.

"You- it just- what?" Tony splutters, "How did…. Did you _do _that?" I grimace and look up at him, letting out a whine. The genius's eyes widen and he exclaims, "You _did! _Holy shit, you're a magic dog!"

"_I am not." _I say in his mind. Hey, he's already found out that I'm different, why try to hide more? And anyway, he likes Bruce, and my owner seems to trust him.

Tony clutches his head and gasps, "What the hell is happening?"

"_Tony, be quiet!" _I hiss, glancing around. Thankfully, nobody is outside. I turn back to Tony, who's clutching his chest like he's about to have a heart attack. "Is that you?" he asks, "You-you're in my head!"

"_I know." _I attempt to calm him down, "_I know. You're right. You're not crazy. I'm talking to you in your head. That's why Bruce got me. I'm a telepath."_

Tony is still staring at me with wide eyes, "You- but-" He pauses, taking a deep breath, and then asks, "How? You- you're a dog!"

"_I'm actually a mutant." _I explain, "_My old owner was a scientist, and he did experiments on me as a puppy. I escaped while he was trying to transport me to India, and then I met Bruce. He didn't find out about my powers until a month later, when he had an incident with the Hulk. I used my telepathy and telekinesis to keep him restrained and calm him down. That was a year ago…"_

Just then, Bruce walks in, "I'm back. Has the-" he stops, glancing from me to Tony, "What's going on in here?"

I duck my head and let out a whimper, "_Sorry."_

"Amity!" he scolds, his voice sharp. I stand up and turn to him, "_I'm sorry! But he threw a blueberry at my head, and I accidentally used my telekinesis to put it into my mouth 'cause he's a terrible shot, and then he freaked out so I told him about my powers, but I thought it would be okay because he's nice to you and you kinda trust him and you seem like friends and-"_

"Amity, slow down." Bruce says, raising his hands. Tony frowns, "Hey, I'm not a terrible shot."

My owner glances at him, "You heard her?" At the genius's nod, Bruce sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration, "Look, you can't tell anyone-"

"Don't worry." Tony interrupts, "Your secret's safe with me."

Bruce looks at him in surprise, "Really?"

"Yeah." the genius replies, and then scratches my head, "I mean, it was shocking, but a mutant dog- hey, that's cool. And there's no way Fury will find out." he lets out a huff, "Hell, he'd probably get his SHIELD buddies and do _more _experiments on her."

"Oh." Bruce says, still sounding taken aback, "Well, okay. Great."

"_Thank you." _I say, making sure that both of them can hear me now, instead of just Bruce. Tony looks at me and grins. Grabbing the bag of blueberries, he takes one out, "Can you…?"

"_Sure." _I nod and he tosses one towards me. I use my telekinesis to stop it mid-air and his grin widens, "Awesome!" Getting an idea, I force the berry towards him and make it bounce off his nose. He jerks his head in surprise, "Hey!"

"_Payback." _I laugh, and then move the berry towards Bruce, "_Blueberry?"_

Bruce smiles and plucks it out of the air, "Thanks."

"So," Tony says, grabbing our attention, "I'm part of this big secret now, right? This is great. We've got me, the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Bruce," he gestures to my owner, "A man that can turn into a huge, green, rage-monster. And Amity," he gestures to me, "The telepathic, telekinetic, mutant dog. And together we are….?"

He pauses, looking to us for suggestions. I shrug, and Bruce scratches the back of his head awkwardly, "Uh…"

Tony rolls his eyes and finishes, "The Science Bros... and a Mutant Dog."

I snort and Bruce smiles, "Sure. Science Bros and a Mutant Dog."

**Science Broooooooos! I love it! Oh, God, they were so awesome together in Age of Ultron! **

**Until next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	10. Chapter 10

**Bleh, this chapter's short- I'm sorrrrrrrryyyyyy! Anyway, here's a new chapter, I hope you like it!**

**The title of this chapter is from Roxette 'Listen to Your Heart'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Ten

Sometimes You Wonder If This Fight Is Worthwhile

"Access denied?!" Tony exclaims, staring at the screen with wide eyes. Said words are plastered on it in red. "Jarvis should've gotten past all of the security." He starts tapping on his phone, muttering under his breath.

Next to him, Bruce is inspecting the screen. After a moment, he says, "Well, SHIELD _is _a top secret government agency. Maybe their security measures are more complex than others?"

"Jarvis still would've been able to decrypt them." Tony retorts, brow furrowed as he does this and that to his phone.

I watch them a few feet away, sitting on the floor. "_Maybe they saw it coming," _I suggest, "_and Fury did something to stop you."_

Tony ponders about it, "Well, the program _should've _stopped any alerts of the hacking, but if… since I planted the bug on the bridge, then…" His eyes widen in realization, "That _bastard! _Ahh, I should've seen this coming!" He starts banging his head on the wall, muttering about how he was an idiot to put it on the bridge, where apparently there's more security and other stuff. I hear him grumble a few more smart words that don't make sense.

Bruce and I glance at each other, and I shrug cluelessly. Finally, Tony walks back to us and says, "Alright. Eye-Patch is probably on his way already to chew us out, so be ready." He sighs and lifts himself up onto the table.

"_It'll be fine." _I say, walking towards them, "_I could try and keep him calm, if you want."_

Bruce sits down next to Tony and says, "Er… I don't think it would be wise to be in his mind, unless it's necessary. Or any of the agents, for that matter. You don't want them finding out about…"

"_I've done it before." _I say, "_But I guess you're right." _I bend down and stretch, letting out a yawn. The clouds have cleared, so now natural light is pouring into the room. Sighing, I straighten up and walk over to the table, "_Alright, places everyone."_

Tony snorts and pats the top, "You should sit up here with us. That'll be a scene." I huff and then consider jumping on. Before I can, Bruce says, "Just stay down there, 'Mit. If we're all sitting on the table it'll look suspicious.

"_Okay." _I reply and move to sit down next to the table leg. The moment my rump touches the ground, Fury bursts into the lab.

"What are you doing, Mr. Stark?" he demands, striding in. He looks angry and I have to resist trying to telepathically calm him down.

Tony replies casually, "Uh, kind of been wondering the same thing about you?" Fury stops in front of him, glaring, "You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract."

"We are." Bruce says, "The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now." Tony gives Fury a 'ha!' look, and Bruce continues, "When we get a hit," he points to the screen hanging from the ceiling, "we'll have the location within half a mile."

"Yeah, then you get your cube back. No muss, no fuss." Tony says, bring the screen down to him, "What _is_ 'Phase 2?'"

A loud clang catches our attention and we turn to see Steve plopping a weapon on another table. "Phase 2 is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons." he says sternly, "Sorry, computer was moving a little slow for me."

I frown and say to Bruce and Tony, "_Weapons? That's terrible- they can't do that! And powered by the Tesseract…"_

Fury sighs, "Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract." He walks over and touches the weapon, "That does not mean that we're making-"

"I'm sorry, Nick." Tony interrupts, turning the screen, which shows blueprints for weapons, "What were you lying?" I frown, glaring at Fury.

"I was wrong, Director." Steve says coldly, "The world hasn't changed a bit." Just then, Thor and Natasha walk in.

"Did you know about this?" Bruce asks the assassin, standing up. She walks towards him, "You want to think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?" I bite back a growl. I don't think so, missy.

Bruce puts on a fake smile and replies, "I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed."

Natasha continues walking towards him, saying, "Loki is manipulating you."

"And you've been doing what, exactly?"

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you." she points out. I narrow my eyes. The assassin has that viper-like form again, like she could strike at any moment.

Bruce moves in front of the scepter, "Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy." He grabs the screen and points to it with his glasses, "I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

There's a pause and we all turn to Fury. He simply glares, and then points at Thor, "Because of him." I blink in surprise? What does he have to do with this?

Thor looks equally confused, "Me?"

"Last year, Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town." The director explains, "We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor says, but Fury counters, "But you're not the only people out there, are you? And you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, that can't be controlled."

Bruce glances at me, but I try not to notice. I haven't realized that, if I ever went bad or if Loki got control over me, I would be pretty unstoppable. With my telekinesis and telepathy- I guess I'm more powerful than I thought.

"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve retorts.

Thor steps forward and says, "Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth the ready for a higher form of war."

"A higher form?" Fury questions, "You forced our hand. We had to come up with something."

"A nuclear deterrent." Tony says sarcastically, "Because that always calms everything right down."

Fury turns on him, annoyed, "Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark."

Steve backs him up, seemingly glad that they're ganging up on Tony, "I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep-"

Tony raises a hand, "Hold on, how is this now about me?"

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?" Steve counters snarkily. I frown. Alright, things are starting to heat up a bit.

Thor speaks up, "I thought humans were more evolved than this."

"Excuse me," Fury drawls, "Did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?"

Thor frowns and says, "You treat your champions with such mistrust."

"_Well, Thor's right about that." _I say to Bruce, shrugging, "_They aren't treating you guys very well by keeping all these secrets."_

Natasha, who is watching them, asks, "Are you boys really that naive? SHIELD monitors potential threats."

My frown turns into a scowl. Potential threats? "_So, isn't that everyone here?" _I ask Bruce, "_They were watching you, Tony, Steve-"_

"Captain America's on threat watch?" he asks aloud, although I can't tell if it's directed at me or not.

Oblivious, Natasha replies, "We all are."

"Wait, you're on that list?" Tony asks, "Are you above or below angry bees?"

I sigh, "_Tony, this isn't really the best time for-"_

Steve interrupts me, snapping, "Stark, so help me God, if you make one more wisecrack-"

"Threat!" the genius calls, pointing, "Verbal threat! I feel threatened!"

"_Tony!" _I scold gently and then notice something odd. My mind is tingling a little as I keep the mental connection with him. It seems familiar…

I turn to the scepter and see that the blue stone is glowing. My eyes widen and I exclaim in Tony's mind, "_Tony! The stone!" _

He falters a little in his argument with Steve and glances at me. I wince and go into Steve's mind, trying to calm him down. The super soldier's shoulder loosen a little bit, but before anything else can happen, Thor catches everyone's attention.

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos." The Asgardian scoffs. Bruce, who I notice is a little wound up, says, "That's his MO, isn't it? I mean, what are we, a team? No, we're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're a time bomb."

I immediately delve into his mind, reassuring him, "_Calm down, Bruce. It's alright. We're going to figure things out."_

"You need to step away." Fury warns.

Tony rolls his eyes and puts a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" he jokes, but Steve smacks his hand off, "You know damn well why! Back off."

Tony turns to him, his gaze hardening, "I'm starting to want you to make me." Steve circles him, taunting, "Yeah, big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?"

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

I continue trying to subtly sooth Steve's mind, desperate for him not to take the bait. He hesitates, and then says, "I know guys with none of that worth ten of you. I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire." Tony replies casually. I pull out of Steve's mind and say to the genius, "_Tony, you're really not helping. Please, just back off."_

Steve glances at Bruce, and then says to Tony, "Always a way out. You may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

Tony scoffs, "A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."

"_Tony!" _I exclaim and he twitches slightly. Steve sizes him up and challenges, "Put on the suit. Let's go a few rounds."

Behind me, Thor laughs, "You people are so petty... and tiny."

"Yeah, this is a team." Bruce says sarcastically.

Glancing at him, Fury orders Natasha, "Agent Romanoff, would you escort Dr. Banner back to his-"

"Where?" Bruce interrupts, tensing a bit, "You rented my room." I step towards him, sending soothing thoughts.

Fury shakes his head and defends, "The cell was just in case-" My eyes widen. Cell? Okay, these people are _trying _to make the Hulk mad.

"In case you needed to kill me. But you can't. I know, I tried!" Bruce says. I curse myself for getting distracted and go back into his mind, but hesitate when he shakes his head a bit. Everybody's watching him, and he sighs, "I got low. I didn't see an end. So, I put a bullet in my mouth, and the Other Guy spit it out. So, I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I raised a dog. I was good! Until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk." I sense him getting angrier with each word and see him reach for the scepter.

"_Bruce, stop!" _I whine, "_It's the stone. It's making you guys mad." _

My owner pauses and glances behind him, looking at the stone in the scepter. His eyes flicker to me for a moment, and then a loud beeping pierces the air.

"_What's that?" _I ask, and he straightens up. He walks across the room and mutters loudly, "The signal." Natasha follows him as he taps on the box computer, "You located the Tesseract?"

"I could get there fastest." Tony offers.

"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard." Thor says, "No human is a match for it." Tony turns and starts walking out of the room anyway. Steve grabs his arm to stop him.

"You're not going alone." he snaps. Tony slaps his hand away, "You're gonna stop me?"

"Put on the suit, let's find out." Steve challenges. The genius narrows his eyes, "I'm not afraid to hit an old man."

"_Tony…" _I groan, and to my surprise, he whirls on me. "Stop it!" he snaps.

Fury, thinking that he meant him, retorts, "Stop what, Stark? Bre-"

Suddenly, there's a loud explosion and I'm knocked off my paws. The table shudders and tips over, crashing down onto me. I yelp, trying to scramble away, but something hard hits me in the head and I fall back down. Stars dance before my eyes and darkness threatens to take over my mind.

I groan and squeeze my eyes shut, feeling a sharp pain on the back of my head. For a moment, I just take a few breaths and try to keep myself conscious. I can hear sirens wailing and footsteps stomping, but they sound muffled. Then, I open my eyes again and yelp in surprise.

Loki's scepter is right in front of my nose, its tip barely brushing my forehead. The blue vines come at me this time, wrapping around my mind and filling my vision with blue. Whining, I smack the scepter away with a paw and attempt to stand up, but the table is still on my back. For some reason, the blue vines still linger in my mind, making everything seem slurred. I try to lift the table off with my telekinesis, only to find that it's much harder now and feels like I'm trying to lift it with water.

"Hill!" Fury's call jerks me back to reality. I see him struggling to get up and let out a whimper. He turns to me and staggers over, grunting as he lifts the table off my body. I scramble out from underneath it and give myself a shake. The sharp pain in the back of my head doesn't leave, and the blue vines are making me feel groggy. I try to tear them away, but it's harder in my own mind and I'm too dazed to focus on it.

"Stark, you copy that?" Fury asks, and I realize he's talking into his earpiece, "Coulson, initiate defensive lockdown in the detention section, then get to the armory." He pushes his way through the debris and runs through the hallway, "Romanoff?"

I blink and look around. Where are Bruce and Natasha? I know I should feel panicked, but the realization doesn't jolt me thanks to the blue vines. So, I woozily lumber over to the shattered window and gaze down. Sure enough, my owner and the assassin are on the level below.

Natasha's leg seems to be stuck underneath something because she's struggling to move. Meanwhile, Bruce is on his stomach, groaning. Giving myself another rough shake, I leap down onto the level, wincing as the glass shards dig into my paw pads.

Natasha glances up at me and I sniff her, checking for injuries. Putting a finger to her earpiece, she says, "We're okay."

Behind me, Bruce groans again and I turn around. His fists are clenched, and his skin is tinted with green. Again, thanks to the blue vines, I don't feel any panic or fear, which should scare me even more, but it doesn't.

"We're okay, right?" Natasha mutters, sounding a little worried. Bruce moans and hunches over, breathing in strained pants.

"Doctor?" Natasha asks, "Bruce? You gotta fight it. This is just what Loki wants. We're going to be okay. Listen to me." A few meters away, a couple of agents approach. Natasha fervently waves them back and they disappear. The assassin tries to push me along too, but I just stupidly stay where I am.

"We're going to be okay, alright? Natasha continues reassuring Bruce, who's looking even greener now, "I swear on my life, I will get you out of this. You will walk away and never ever-"

Bruce suddenly whips his head towards her and screams in an animalistic voice, "YOUR LIFE?!" He moans again and lurches upwards onto his knees. His face contorts in pain and his shirt rips as he begins to grow. Natasha gasps and struggles even harder to remove her leg from underneath the metal object pinning her down.

Staggering, Bruce slides down onto the lower level and collapses. His screams and groans echo loudly, but they barely get past the blue vines in my mind.

All of the sudden, Bruce pauses in his transformation and glances at us. Our gazes meet and his eyes widen. "Am…" he chokes, "Help…"

I blink repeatedly, feeling the blue vines loosening a little. They aren't… the stone hasn't taken over my mind fully- I know that much- but I still feel slurred and I can't…

"Bruce." Natasha whispers, and then my owner morphs fully into the Hulk. The assassin once again tries to get out from underneath the metal, but fails. I narrow my eyes and will my telekinesis to work. The vines are hindering me, but… if my normal consciousness can get through the gaps…

Finally, the metal lifts up just enough for Natasha to pull her leg out and scramble onto the lower level. I drop my hold, gasping for breath. Why was that so hard all of the sudden? What did the stone do to me?

I hear Natasha grunt as she hits the ground and see Hulk glare at her over his shoulder. She whirls around and dashes up the stairs. Roaring, he charges after her and rips the metal out from under her feet. Thankfully, she uses her gymnastics skills to swing higher and flip into the ceiling and out of sight. Hulk snarls and tears the grates out, making her go faster and faster until she drops back onto the ground and disappears into the maze of metal. Hulk roars in frustration and goes to search for her.

I tilt my head, watching the scene with blue-tinted vision. Well, I better go help them. With that, I jump down onto the lower level and trot after him.

**Okay, so in case you are confused, Amity isn't fully being controlled by the stone (mainly cuz nobody is controlling the scepter right now and she's also a telepath so that makes her have more resistance) but she is slightly 'under the influence' (not in the druggy way, guys ;)) so her powers are kind of off and she can't use them fully...**

**On another note, did anyone see Pitch Perfect 2? OMG it was so good! Much better than the first movie. It was colorful and the music was so good and it was funny and romantic and EVERYBODY WAS SO FLIPPIN HOTTTT! **

**Plus, I just got new glasses yesterday, so I saw all of the hotness in super HD... Whoa, what are you talking about? I'm not drooling, _you're _drooling... 8D_**

**Till next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles **


	11. Chapter 11

**Omg, this is the shortest chapter, I'm sorrrryyy! I don't even have a title for it...**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Eleven

Well...

I watch as Natasha sneaks around quietly, ducking under pipes and dodging other metal things. Her muscles are taut and she looks nervous. I tilt my head and start following her. My claws click on the ground and she immediately whirls around, gun pointed at my head.

Now, I might've jumped, but the blue vines are still wrapped around my dazed mind, keeping me calm and contained.

When Natasha sees that it's just me, she lets out a sigh of relief and lowers her gun. Pressing a finger to her lips, she whispers, "Keep quiet, mutt, or we'll both be in deep-"

The sound of heavy footsteps cuts her off. We both glance around, trying to figure out where they're coming from. Slowly, Natasha raises her gun again, her eyes wide and unblinking. My nose twitches as I smell her fear.

In the corner of my blue-tinted vision, I see something flicker. Suddenly, Hulk appears between some pipes and lets out a loud bellow. Natasha whirls around and shoots one of the pipes above him, which starts spraying white smoke. Hulk roars in frustration as his view is blocked while Natasha turns and flees.

I blink and stare at her blankly. Snarling, Hulk charges after the assassin, breaking pipes and other metals as he does. The creature brushes past me without a second glance, too focused on hunting down bigger prey.

I take a step back, trying not to get hit by the destroyed metals. Above me, a large pipe creaks and then crashes down onto me. I try to stop it with my telekinesis, but thing only hovers for a second before smashing onto my head.

Darkness engulfs my vision for a moment and I stumble to the ground. Groaning, I open my eyes and glance around blurrily. Hulk is running after Natasha, demolishing pillars and stuff with his bulk.

My heart lurches in sudden panic and I scramble to my paws. The blue vines have left my mind for some reason, but I don't have time to ponder over it. I dash after my morphed owner, jumping over tubes and ducking under fallen things.

Ahead of me, Hulk is gaining on Natasha quickly and I know I won't reach them in time. When the creature is almost upon the assassin, I thrust out my telekinesis and drag her to the side, dodging a swipe from her pursuer. My powers are still lagging a bit, but I think it's just because of the multiple blows to my head that have left me dazed.

Hulk tries slowing down, but fails and crashes into a wall. I catch up and place myself in front of Natasha, who's sitting with her back against the other wall.

"_Bruce." _I say in Hulk's mind as he recovers, "_Bruce, it's me, Amity." _

Hulk grunts and approaches us again, his arm pulled back to strike. Standing my ground, I meet his green gaze, "_Hulk, listen to me." _The creature growls, but hesitates. I continue, fully prepared to start a calming speech, "_I know you're mad. SHIELD had no right to keep such secrets. But-"_

Suddenly, a figure appears from the rubble and hurtles into Hulk, sending them both crashing through the wall. They tumble into the opposite room and I realize that Thor was the one that attacked Hulk.

The two quickly recover and stand up, glaring at each other. Meanwhile, all of the agents in the room flee for their lives.

Hulk lunges towards Thor, swiping at him. I tense up, ready to step in, but the Asgardian surprises me by ducking and then punching Hulk's face. The creature recoils in pain, and I remember that Thor _is _basically a god, so he must be pretty strong.

Movement behind me catches my attention and I turn around. Natasha is gasping for breath, looking horrified. Her knees are drawn up to her chest and she's hugging them. Cautiously, I peer into her mind. The assassin is shocked that she's still alive, but now she's suspicious. She's wondering what made her lurch to the side like that. She's recalling how it felt like something wrapped around her and pulled her out of the way.

I wince, debating whether or not to talk to her. She'll definitely tell Director Fury, and that'll be bad, but I have a feeling that things are going to be bad anyway if I don't get her help.

"_Er… Natasha?" _I say warily and her eyes widen, "_It's me, Amity."_

She stares at me, her jaw dropped a little. I shake my head and continue, "_I'm a telepath, alright? And I'm telekinetic. That's how you got pulled out of the way- I did that. Look, I know you're probably going to tell Director Fury about this, but can you put it aside for now? We kind of have a bigger problem." _

The assassin stares at me for a few moments, mouth slightly open. "Uh…" She finally stammers, and then gets herself together and nods, "Yeah, yeah, sure. That… that can wait."

"_Okay, good." _I say, "_Alright, I'm pretty sure we're getting attacked right now, so you should get up to the Bridge Room and help."_

"Right." Seeming to remember the severity of the situation, the assassin quickly stands up on shaky legs, "What are _you _going to do?"

I glance at Hulk and Thor, who are still fighting. Natasha follows my gaze and asks, "Can you…?"

I turn to her, "_I'll try, but I'm still a bit dazed. Oh!" _I perk up, "_If you come across any agents controlled by Loki's scepter, just hit them hard in the head and they'll snap out of it."_

"Good." She says and then dashes away. I turn back to the fighting, only to see that Hulk and Thor are gone.

I leap over the rubble and trot into the room, looking for them. There's a lot of debris around, but I notice that one area in particular is more damaged than the rest. I carefully walk over, alert for any movement or sounds. A few paces later, Hulk's roar echoes throughout the room and I freeze.

Suddenly, something flies over my head and crashes into a bunch of boxes. I yelp and chase after it. Pouncing onto the demolished boxes, I see Thor crouching in the middle of the room. The thing, which is actually a hammer, flies into his hand, just as Hulk charges at him from behind.

Whirling around, Thor smashes his hammer into Hulk's face, knocking the creature off his feet. He hurtles into a plane, crushing the metal, but quickly recovers. Snarling, Hulk rips a wing off of the jet and throws it at Thor.

Heart lurching, I use my telekinesis to aim the wing higher so that it misses Thor, who helps by ducking. The Asgardian runs towards him and throws his hammer. Hulk catches it, but is thrown to the ground for some reason. I stare in amazement as he tries to lift it up, to no avail.

Seizing his advantage, Thor kicks Hulk's head and snatches his weapon. He jumps onto the creature's back, using both of his hands to lock the hammer around his neck.

Immediately, I spring down from the boxes and run towards them. Hulk is thrashing and bucking around, gagging.

"_No!" _I shriek in Thor's mind, worried for my morphed owner, "_Don't hurt him! Please! He doesn't know what he's doing!"_

Thor hesitates for a split second, but that's all Hulk needs. He grabs the Asgardian's slackened arm and pulls him off of his back. With an angry bellow, he throws Thor upwards and the god crashes through the ceiling. Hulk moves to follow him onto the upper level, but I call in his mind, "_Hulk, please! Listen to me-"_

Hulk whirls around, snarling, and swipes at a few of the boxes. They hurtle towards me and I quickly stop them with my telekinesis. When I put them down, Hulk has disappeared. However, with all the commotion coming from the upper level, it isn't hard to guess where he went.

I leap over the boxes and gaze up at the hole in the ceiling. How am I going to get up there?

I huff, looking around for options. Getting an idea, I use my telekinesis to stack up the boxes so that they're like stairs. Well, sort of. Turns out I'm not a very good builder. So, I quickly hop up onto my tower and clamber my way to the top. The boxes start to collapse underneath me and I make a flailing jump to gap. My stomach hits the edge and I grunt, scrabbling for a pawhold. A few moments later, I manage to heave myself onto the upper level.

Hulk and Thor are still fighting, and I watch as Hulk flings the Asgardian into some computers. Bouncing to my paws, I call out, "_Hulk!" _

The green creature turns to me, seemingly annoyed that I'm still alive. Hastily, I wrap my telekinesis around him to prevent him from moving. He lets out a roar of frustration, thrashing around in my hold.

"_Hulk." _I try again, "_I understand why you're mad. SHIELD kept secrets that shouldn't have been kept. But destroying the Helicarrier won't help- you know that. They're just going to retaliate, and this will go back and forth, causing unnecessary destruction. Please, you're just proving their suspicions to them- that you're a monster. But you're not! Show that to them. You could do so much good if you and Bruce could just work together." _

Hulk stops struggling, but still glares. I plunge deeper into his mind, pausing before the green vines. Bruce's conscience is in the corner, trying to escape and take control.

"_Bruce." _I direct to him, "_You know this won't end. Maybe this battle, but not the war. It never _will _end unless you stop fighting and accept that Hulk is part of you. If you do, then he'll stop fighting, because there would be no enemy to him. You and him are each other's barriers- if you work together, then nothing can stop you from doing good." _

The green vines start to slacken a bit. I pull out of his mind and stare at Hulk. A familiar gleam enters his eyes and I wag my tail knowingly.

Suddenly, gunshots ring out behind me and I whirl around. A jet is hovering outside, shooting bullets at the window, which soon breaks. My eyes widen and I skitter backwards, but one of the bullets grazes my hind leg. Pain bursts from the wound and I yelp, cursing myself for not using my telekinesis fast enough.

To my surprise, Hulk roars and steps in front of me. "**Human hurt dog!" **he snarls, "**Hulk smash human!"**

With an outraged bellow, the creature charges away and jumps onto the jet. They both go down and I run to the edge, watching the fight. Glass pricks at my paws but I ignore it, trying to use my telekinesis to steady the falling of the jet.

I can't lift the two of them; whether from distance or weight, I don't know. As Hulk tears apart the jet, the pilot manages to escape and get out his parachute. I attempt to aim the jet towards water, but it suddenly explodes and my telekinetic hold fails.

To my horror, I see Hulk plummeting towards the earth. Even though it's useless by now, I still attempt to grab him telekinetically. My weak grip only lasts for a couple of seconds before Hulk crashes into the ground and disappears from sight. I yelp and let out a howl of despair, "Bruce!"

Abruptly, I feel an odd pull at my mind. I blink in confusion, and then remember what happened the first time Bruce morphed into the Hulk. I had felt the same strange pull then, and it eventually led me to him. My eyes widen and I realize that it's the mental bond that Bruce and I share. I haven't felt it in so long, but, then again, I'm never very far from my owner.

Feeling a little better now that I know that Bruce is alive, I turn around and carefully pick my way through the demolished room. Thor is standing in the corner, staring at me. I wince. Right, I talked to him too. Geez, I'm really bad at keeping secrets.

After a moment of silence, the Asgardian asks warily, "You are of magic?"

I frown and tilt my head, "_Huh?"_

He twitches at the sound of my voice in his head, but then asks, "Are you a magical creature? That is how you are able to speak and move objects with your mind?"

I shake my head and reply, "_I'm not magical. I'm a mutant. But, yes, I have those powers. Telepathy helps me talk and telekinesis lets me move objects with my mind." _

Thor nods as if this is the most normal thing in the world, "You are very powerful then, companion of Banner. I shall require your assistance when I go to confront my brother. I have no doubt that he is escaping."

I perk up, "_Oh, right! We're under attack! Let's go!" _

The Asgardian turns around and dashes out of the room. I follow him, running at his heels. Agents dart past us, but Thor ignores them, determined to stop Loki. When we reach the detention level, I notice a figure a few meters away and skid to a halt.

The man- uh, Phil Coulson, I believe- is sneaking around the hallways with a large gun in his hands. My thoughts dart to the Tesseract and how SHIELD was going to use it to build weapons. Growling a little, I turn and trot after him.

The agent doesn't notice me and continues walking down the hallway. Meanwhile, I take a closer look at the weapon. It's very large, more like a machine gun than anything else, and is a soot black color. I can see shafts on the sides, so something must be able to warm up on the inside.

When Agent Coulson approaches a door, I make myself known with a little bark. He whips around, gun raised, but then relaxes when he sees it's just me.

"What are you doing here?" he hisses and waves his free hand, "Go! Shoo! This is dangerous."

"Which is exactly why I'm staying with you." I mutter to myself. Of course, since he can't understand me, Agent Coulson presses his finger to his lips, "Shh!"

Turning around, he opens the door slowly and quietly. I peer around his leg and see a large room with a glass cage in the center. Oh, this must be the detention room. My eyes widen when I spot Thor inside of the container. He strikes the glass with his hammer, but the whole thing shudders and metal creaks. Daunted, the Asgardian takes a step back.

Dark laughter echoes throughout the room and I stretch my neck so I can see Loki walking towards the panel, saying, "The humans think us immortal. Should we test that?" As he does, Agent Coulson starts sneaking in. A guard stands between him and the two gods, but his back is turned. Stalking up to him, the agent slams the butt of the gun against his head and the guard crumples to the ground with a grunt.

"Move away, please." Agent Coulson orders, grabbing the attention of the Asgardians. I stay hidden, watching and ready to intervene. Loki slowly raises his hands and steps backwards. As Agent Coulson starts talking, I seize my advantage and plunge into the god's mind.

Abruptly, a veil of blue stops me from going very far. The stuff is wrapped around Loki's mind, reminding my of the blue vines of the stone. It seems different, though. Like, it has a different feel. I'm pretty sure Loki is aware of what he is doing, he's just not entirely in control. To my surprise, an eerie voice fills his head, "_**Do away with the nuisance." **_

It all happens so fast. Agent Coulson turns on the gun. A strange aura fills the air, making my skin prickle. I sense what Loki's doing before he even does it. As he magically appears behind Agent Coulson, I instinctively use my telekinesis to shove the two apart.

They both fall onto the floor and I burst into the room. Dashing over to the agent, I place myself in front of him and glare at Loki, who's already recovering. The god stumbles to his feet and stares at me. I raise my hackles and bare my teeth, snarling.

For a few moments, silence hangs between the four of us. Behind me, Agent Coulson slowly stands up and grabs his gun. Loki ignores him and raises his scepter, pointing it at me.

Blue light gathers around the stone and then launches towards us. I use my telekinesis to slow it down, and then get an idea and redirect it towards Thor. The Asgardian steps back as the blue orb crashes into the cell, shattering the glass into large shards. The cage shudders and metal creaks, threatening to fall.

I keep it up as Thor jumps over the glass and stands beside Agent Coulson. Then, the three of us turn back to Loki, who's looking a bit unsure now.

"Surrender, brother." Thor says, "Make this easier on yourself."

"_You can't get past all of us." _I add telepathically, glaring at the trickster. Loki smirks, taking a step back, and then suddenly disappears.

"Loki!" Thor snaps in frustration. I huff and turn around, "_Well, at least he can't cause more damage." _

Oblivious to what I said, Agent Coulson lowers his gun, "I guess I don't get to find out what this does. But I _would _like to know how Banner's dog deflected an attack from Loki." he adds, giving me a questioning look.

Thor and I glance at each other. I grimace and sigh. Well, so much for my secret.

Turning to Agent Coulson, I start to explain.

**What, you thought I was going to let Agent Coulson die? Pppffffffffffftttt! As if!**

**BTW, if any of you artists out there wanna draw some fanart, that would be very much appreciated!**

**Till next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	12. Chapter 12

**Happy Sunday, everybody! I'm here to present you a new chappie!**

**The title of this chapter is from Avril Lavigne 'Slipped Away'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Twelve

Now You Are Gone

I shuffle my paws awkwardly, feeling my pelt prickle underneath the gazes of everyone. They're all staring at me in disbelief. Once I told Agent Coulson about my powers, he immediately took me over to the Bridge Room and told the others. Only Tony and Thor weren't surprised. Director Fury, Agent Hill, Agent Coulson, and Steve, however, are still staring at me.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, Director Fury speaks up, "Coulson, you're saying that this _dog _has powers strong enough to counter _Loki_? A dog?"

Agent Coulson nods and gestures to me, "Show him, please."

I glance around, looking for something to lift. Tony, sitting at the table, reaches into his pocket and takes out a pen, "Here, 'Mit." He tosses the pen into the air and I catch it with my telekinesis. Steve gasps and turns to me with wide eyes.

I wag my tail sheepishly, put down the pen, and say telepathically to all of them, "_Hi, guys." _Fury, Steve, and the two agents all flinch at the sound of my voice in their heads, "_Er… how's it going?"_

They're quiet for a moment, and then Steve asks cautiously, "So… the whole time, you've been able to understand what we say and… read our minds?"

I nod and walk up to him, nuzzling his hand, "_That's right. You smell like honeysuckle and wet pavement on a hot day." _The super soldier gives me a blank look while Tony snorts.

"Um…" Steve stammers, "Thanks?"

"We're not going to talk about scents right now." Director Fury interrupts. I glance at him and agree, "_You're right. We have a bigger problem at paw. And you probably wouldn't be too proud of yours, anyway."_

Tony snickers and Fury glares at him. I see Agent Hill's lip twitch upwards and I perk up, "_Oh! And Agent Hill smells like fruit and flowers! It's actually quite nice."_

"The point is," Director Fury says before anyone can comment, "You are an undocumented, illegal mutant. We'll have to deal with that matter soon. I also find it a bit strange how _you _managed to befriend Banner, of all people."

I frown, feeling defensive of my owner. "_What's that supposed to mean?" _I ask, growling a bit, "'_Of all people'? Bruce isn't _that _different from other humans. I bet a lot of people have accidents in science labs. His was just… more unfortunate."_

"So," Tony says, "What you're saying is that you think Bruce, a man who can turn into a giant green rage monster, is completely ordinary?"

I pause, then turn to him and reply, "_In the best way, of course." _Tony snickers and I scoff, "_Oh, shut up. You know what I mean. Anyway," _I shake my head, "_Let's get back to the issue at paw." _

"Hand." Tony corrects, but Steve silences him with a glare. We all turn to Director Fury, expecting some sort of answer or plan.

Instead, the director sighs and says, "We're dead in the air up here. Our communications, the location of the cube, Banner. I got nothing for you."

"_Bruce is okay." _I add, feeling the pull in my mind. They all look at me and Fury asks, "How do you know? He fell out of the Helicarrier."

"_We have a mental bond." _I reply, "_I created it during our year in India. Now I can tell where he is when we're separated."_

"Well, where is he?" Director Fury demands. I pause, searching for the pull in my mind and determining where it leads. Then, I turn southwest and point at the floor with my nose, "_Somewhere over there." _

"Yeah, that's accurate." Tony says sarcastically. I wrinkle my muzzle and shrug, "_It's not my fault you humans create such confusing names for your places." _Shaking my head, I continue, "_The main point is that he's fine. I almost got him back to normal, but then that jet came and started shooting at us. He only attacked it to protect me. But I gave Bruce a little therapy session to help, so hopefully he'll listen to me and find the Hulk's silver lining."_

"Hulk? Silver lining?" Tony questions, "How is that going to work out?"

"_I told him that if he and the Hulk could get along, then they could do so much good. It's true, if you think about it." _I explain.

"So…" Steve says, "If Banner does come to a truce with the Hulk, then…?"

"_He'll find us." _I say firmly, "_I'm not sure if he feels the pull of our mental connection, but I know he'll find us." _After a moment, I turn to Director Fury, "_What I don't know is if and why SHIELD was going to use the Tesseract to build weapons."_

Everybody turns to the director, who sighs. I pad up to him and say, "_And don't bother lying, because you know it won't work on me."_

"Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract." he admits, "I never put all my chips on that number, though," Fury brushes past me and puts a hand on the back of an empty chair, "because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this," he continues walking around the table as Tony gets a knowing look on his face, "called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could."

"I told you," Tony says, swiveling in his chair to face Fury, "I don't want to be a part of that. It's a horrible idea."

"_What's so bad about it?" _I ask.

"We are not soldiers!" Tony replies sharply, standing up, "I'm not marching into Fury's fife."

"_It's not just his battle, though." _I defend, "_It's all of ours, now. Loki is threatening Earth- our world! We live in it, so we have to defend it with all we've got. And if we can't protect our home, than you'll be sure that we'll avenge it."_

There's silence after my little speech. Everybody stares at me once again. After a moment, Tony sighs and walks away. I turn and gaze after him, feeling a little disappointed.

Behind me, Fury says, "Well, it's an old-fashioned notion." He huffs and then turns to me, "Anyway, I need you to get down to Agent Romanoff in the med bay. She's with Clint Barton, one of our agents that was controlled by Loki. He's back in his own mind now, but he's still having trouble maintaining control. I was hoping you'd use your telepathy to help him."

"_Okay," _I shrug, "_Where's the med bay?" _

He turns and gestures to Agent Coulson, "Coulson, show her the way." The agent nods and leads me into the hallway. I trot by his side quietly.

After a few moment of silence, Agent Coulson says softly, "Thanks for saving my life, by the way."

I blink and gaze up at him. He glances at me, but continues looking forward. Wagging my tail, I reply, "_You're welcome. I wouldn't have let Loki kill anyone." _

"That's nice to know." He says, and then shakes his head, "It feels weird to be talking to a telepathic dog."

"_It feels weird to be speaking to somebody other than Bruce." _I counter, "_For a whole year, I was only able to talk to him. I mean, I love him, and he's a great owner, but it's nice to have variations." _

"Right."

We fall back into the silence, but now it's comfortable. I trot with a spring in my step, feeling slightly happier now that I don't have the stress of my secret bearing down on me anymore. A couple of minutes later, Agent Coulson comes to a stop in front of a room. He peers through the window, and then slowly opens the door.

"Go right in." he says. I give his leg a friendly nudge with my snout before walking into the room.

Inside, I see Natasha sitting on a stool beside a long chair. A well-built man with dark blonde hair is strapped to it. I assume that he's Clint Barton, because he's groaning and shaking his head, as if trying to rid it of something. My heart immediately aches with sympathy and I trot over to him.

Natasha glances at me and says to him, "Clint, you're going to be alright."

"You know that?" Clint chuckles humorlessly, "Is that what you know?"

I frown, analyzing him. His muscles, glistening with sweat, are strained, and his breathing is ragged. Tilting my head, I ask Natasha, "_Can you get him some water? He needs to cool down." _

The ex-assassin quietly stands up and walks over to a nearby table with a silver jug. As she starts pouring water in a glass, I leap onto her stool and sit down. Clint winces and rolls his head back.

"I've got no window." he breathes, "I have to flush him out."

"You've got to level out." Natasha replies, "Thankfully, we've got some help." She gestures to me and Clint looks up. His gaze settles on me and he raises an eyebrow.

"A therapy dog?" he chuckles, "Really, Nat?" He shakes his head, "You don't understand. Have you ever had someone take your brain and play? Pull you out and stuff something else in? Do you know what it's like to be unmade?" He gets a lost look in his eyes, and then glances at Natasha.

She hesitates before replying softly, "You know that I do."

I shift awkwardly, waiting for the right moment to make myself known. After a pause, Clint sighs and asks, "Why am I back? How'd you get him out?"

Walking over, Natasha sits on the edge of the bed, "Cognitive recalibration. I hit you really hard on the head."

"...Thanks."

"It was Amity's idea."

He gets a confused look on his face and knits his eyebrows, "Who?" Natasha jerks her head towards me and repeats, "Amity."

Clint gazes at me, still confused, and says slowly, "I may not be in the best state of mind, but… Nat, that's a dog."

"_Actually, I'm a mutant." _I say in his mind and he inhales sharply, his eyes widening. His jaw drops slightly and he looks at Natasha. She smiles at his expression and scratches the back of my head, "I know. I was surprised, too."

"_You dealt with it pretty well, though." _I comment, making sure that both of them can hear me. Turning back to Clint, I say, "_I know this is a lot to take in, so I'll take it slow. I'm a telepathic and telekinetic mutant. Bruce Banner is my owner- he found me in India. SHIELD brought us to the Helicarrier so Bruce could find the Tesseract. Stuff happened, Natasha hit you in the head, and now I'm going to help you regain full control of your conscience. Got it?"_

He stares at me for a few more seconds, and then nods bluntly. "And," he stammers, "Your name is… Amity?"

"_Yes." _I confirm, "_Now, for you to flush out the stone's control, I'm going to have to go into your mind. Okay?" _

He frowns, "The stone? Loki controlled me, not a stone."

"_In Loki's scepter there's a blue stone," _I explain, "_And that's what controlled you. Not Loki."_

"Oh," he says, sounding mildly surprised, "Alright, then. You can…er... go into my head." I nod and telepathically enter his mind. Searching beyond memories, I look for remnants of the stone's control. Sure enough, I find remainders of blue vines entangled in some parts of his mind. They're pale and weak, but clearly stable enough for Clint to not be able to flush them out on his own. Reaching out telepathically, I tear at the blue vines and they vanish. I continue scouring through his mind and a few moments later I find a couple more. Ripping them apart, I feel his mind start to brighten up.

Pulling back into my own mind, I watch as his fists clench and his eyes squeeze shut. Natasha has a hand on his arm, looking concerned. For a long time, Clint stays like that, his whole body tense and his muscles taut. Finally, after what seems like forever, he suddenly lets out a huge sigh and relaxes.

He pants for a few moments and then opens his eyes, which I notice are a light turquoise color. Slowly, he turns to me and smiles, "Thanks."

My tail wags and I dip my head politely, "_You're welcome."_

Natasha rubs my shoulders, thanking me silently, and then starts to untie the bounds restraining Clint. He hesitates before asking softly, "Natasha. How many agents did I…?"

"Don't." she interrupts, "Don't do that to yourself, Clint. This is Loki. This is monsters and magic and nothing we were ever trained for."

"Loki." Clint perks up, "Did he get away?"

"_Yes." _I reply surly, "_He disappeared in the blink of an eye. Literally." _

Natasha stands up, "I don't suppose you know where he went?" She walks over to the window and gazes out of it. Clint shakes his head.

"I didn't need to know. I didn't ask."

"_It's alright." _I reassure him, and then telekinetically bring the glass of water over, "_Here. Drink some water."_

He stares at the floating cup and then glances at me. Shaking his head, he says, "Uh, it's okay, I'm not that thirsty."

I huff and reply, "_One of the things you need to know about me is that I can see right through any lie. Now," _I levitate it closer to him and order a bit more sternly, "_Drink."_

"Yes, ma'am." He obediently takes the glass and takes a sip. Under my watchful gaze, he drinks almost the entire glass before pulling away. Smiling a little, he says, "I can see how Doctor Banner has rubbed off on you."

"_Thank you." _I sniff, and then ask, "_Do you know anything about Loki's plans? Anything that could help us?"_

Clint pauses, pondering about it, "He's gonna make his play soon. Today." My heart lurches and Natasha, who I forgot was here, turns around.

"We've got to stop him." she states.

Clint huffs, "Yeah? Who's 'we'?"

"I don't know." Natasha says, shrugging, "Whoever's left. Thor, Stark, Rogers-"

"_And us three." _I add, "_Also Bruce, when he finds us."_

Clint gives me a questioning look, and then sighs, "Well, if I put an arrow through Loki's eye socket, I'd sleep better, I suppose."

I wince, remembering the blue vines and the voice inside of Loki's mind. I still haven't told anyone about that, yet, but now I think I should tell Thor. He might know what to do, since he grew up with Loki.

"_Well, if you're better," _I say, leaping off of the stool, "_I'm going to be on my way. I have to do… stuff." _Before they can ask anything, I quickly trot out of the room. Dashing down the hallway, I try to remember the route back to the Bridge Room. A bunch of agents shoot me looks as a pass by, probably having heard of my powers, but I ignore them. After a few minutes, I come across the walkway into the Bridge Room and enter it.

Thor isn't here, but Director Fury is, as per usual. I walk over to him and he looks down at me, "Yes?"

"_Where's Thor?" _I ask, glancing around for said Asgardian. Director Fury turns and points at a door.

"Through there, take a left, then take the third right." he replies and I nod, thanking him. Trotting over to the door, I telekinetically open it and walk into a hallway. I follow Fury's directions, but I'm only just about to turn right when I bump into Thor. Literally.

"Oh!" I wince, taking a step back and rubbing my sore nose with a paw, "_Hi, Thor! I was looking for you."_

Thor gazes down at me and asks, "How can I help you, Wolf of Banner?"

I blink at the strange title and reply, "_I'm not a wolf. And you don't have to call me that. Just Amity. I have to talk to you about your brother, Loki." _

His expression immediately turns serious and he nods, "What tis the matter?"

"_Well…" _I begin awkwardly, sitting next to the wall so I'm not blocking the hallway, "_Back in the detention level when Loki was breaking out, I went into his mind and…" _I hesitate, "_He's not entirely in control of his actions." _Thor's eyes widen and I continue, "_He's under the influence of someone else. I heard a voice in his head ordering him what to do. His mind is also fogged up with the blue vines, like Clint's was with the stone's power. But-" _I add before Thor, who has opened his mouth to speak, can interrupt, "_He _is _aware of his actions. It's strange, though. He knows what he's doing, he knows that it's wrong, and yet he won't stop."_

The Asgardian stares at me for a few moments, taking it all in. Then, he asks, "I thought you said that he in under the control of someone else?"

"_No." _I say, "_Under the _influence _of someone else. I wish I knew more, but there wasn't enough time." _

Thor nods slowly, "Thank you for telling me this, W- Amity."

He turns to leave, but I stop him by saying, "_I suggest hitting him really hard in the head. It worked for me and Clint; it breaks the control of the stone. Hopefully it might do something to clear Loki's mind." _I pause, and then add, "_Maybe I could get Bruce to do it as Hulk." _

"Banner isn't in his right mind in that form." Thor says, but I shake my head.

"_I have a feeling that isn't the case anymore." _I say, "_You heard me earlier in the Bridge Room- if Hulk and Bruce made a truce, then they could do good."_

"You believe your master has achieved that feat?"

Before I can reply, Tony appears at the end of the hallway. "Hey guys!" he calls, approaching us, "Start getting ready. We're gonna head out soon."

"To where?" Thor asks.

Tony replies, "Stark Tower. Loki's going to strike today in New York. Cap's gone to get Romanoff and Barton, so once we're all suited up, then we're leaving."

"_Does Director Fury know about this?" _I ask warily, standing up. Tony shakes his head, "Nope. Get ready." Then, he turns around and walks away. Thor does the same, heading the opposite way in search of his hammer.

I stand in the middle of the hallway, glancing around awkwardly. Am I the only one who doesn't get a suit or anything? I blink, pondering about it, and then say to myself, "Oh, wait a minute! Bruce doesn't get a suit either!" I wag my tail gleefully, "Similarities!"

With that happy thought, I turn and trot after Tony.

**Just letting you know, the next chapter is going to be pretty long.**

**Anywho, if you guys are wondering what Amity looks like, I posted a drawing on DeviantArt. I**** posted the link on my profile. It'll be the last one on the list.**

**Alrighty, then, I'll see you guys next Sunday**

**Tally ho!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	13. Chapter 13

**Yessss a longer chapter! I'm on summer break now! Wooo hooo! Once again, if you want to see what Amity looks like, just check out the link in my profile! Also, thank you so much for all of the favs, follows, and reviews! They mean so much to me! This is my most popular story! **

**The title of this chapter is from Adele 'Skyfall'- Oh, look at that! It's also the title of the story! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel **

Chapter Thirteen

Face It All Together

I shift nervously in my seat, lifting my head off of Steve's lap. The quinjet rumbles underneath me, adding to my angst. Whining slightly, I scramble closer to Steve and press my muzzle against his suit. The super soldier smiles a little and rubs my ear.

"Don't like jets?" he asks softly.

I shake my head and glance out of the window, replying, "_I don't like them, but I'm more worried about… what's about to happen. I just...there's going to be a battle, I'm sure of it."_

Steve nods and says, "I know how you feel. You're probably the only one here who hasn't ever been in a fight before. It's okay to be nervous."

I sigh and rest my head on his lap again, "_I just wish Bruce was here." _After a moment, I add, "_I mean, he's going to come back. We'll meet up with him later…. but I wish he was here now. We've never been this far apart for so long." _

Steve doesn't reply, but simply scratches my scruff gently. Wagging my tail, I sniff his leg and smell his familiar honeysuckle-and-wet-pavement scent. He chuckles and moves his hand down to my back.

Feeling restless, I stand up and jump off of the seat. Thor is standing behind Clint and Natasha, who are piloting the quinjet, and I walk over to them. Nosing past Thor, I stand beside Clint's chair and rear up on my hind legs, putting my forepaws on a clear space on the control panel so I can look outside.

Tony, in his Iron Man suit, is flying ahead, no more than a speck in the sky. Occasionally, I see his damaged suit falter and he stumbles, but then regains flight a moment later.

At the edge of the horizon, I see a large city with tall buildings. As we get closer, my eyes widen. This place is nothing like India. These buildings are so… high-tech and fancy. Some of them are so tall that they seem to touch the sky!

Turning to Clint, I ask, "_Is that New York?" _When he nods, I exclaim, "_It's huge! And…" _I squint my eyes, "_There's no green. Where are all the trees?"_

"There's a park." He says, "It's kinda like a forest. But, no, there's not that many trees throughout the city. At least, not as many as you were probably used to in India."

"_Oh." _I drop back down onto all four paws. When I do, the control panel starts beeping and Tony's face appears on the screen.

"_**Hey, guys." **_he says, "_**I'm going to fly ahead to the tower and check out the tower. Thor, wait a few minutes, and then follow me."**_

With that, his face disappears. Natasha glances over her shoulder and calls out, "You guys all have your earpieces?"

Thor and Steve both reply with a 'yes' while I blink in confusion. "_What?" _I ask, "_I never got one. What's an earpiece?" _

"It's like a miniature cell phone in your ear." Clint explains, "When you tap on it, you can talk to other people with earpieces through the com link."

"_That's useful. Do you have another?" _I ask, turning to Natasha. She doesn't take her eyes off of the nearing city, but replies, "I don't think dogs can wear earpieces."

I frown, tilting my head, "_Why not?" _

Steve glances at Thor before answering, "It wouldn't fit in your ear, Amity. It's shaped for human ears."

"_How do you know it won't fit?" _I argue, feeling stubborn, "_You haven't tried putting it on me. And I'm part of this team, so I think I should get an earpiece. It doesn't matter that I'm a dog." _

"Can you not simply communicate with your telepathy?" Thor asks. Natasha reaches into her pocket as I reply, "_Not if we're too far apart. And I won't be able to hear what any of you guys sa-"_

"Here." Natasha interrupts, passing something back to Thor. He gazes at the small thing, but Steve takes it and kneels down beside me. It takes me a moment to realize that he's going to put an earpiece in my ear. "_Oh! Really?" _I ask, surprised.

"It's worth a try." he replies, fitting the earpiece into my slightly floppy right ear. After a bit of shifting, he lets go, but the gadget almost falls off. Not wanting to be proven wrong, I order, "_Twist it around and upwards." _The super soldier does as I say and the earpiece feels a bit more secure. I hesitate, and then ask, "_Can you turn it left a little?" _

Once he does, I step away and give my head a shake. The earpiece hardly moves and stays secure. I wag my tail happily and look up at Steve, "_Ha!"_

He smiles and pats my head, "Alright, alright. Don't get too cocky."

I huff and sit down, feeling accomplished. Steve and Thor return to their seats and we fall into a thick silence. After a few moments, I glance out the window and see that the city is even closer now. Suddenly, a blue beam of light bursts out from the top of a particularly unique building and shoots into the sky. It stops at a point and starts morphing into a circle. My eyes widen and I stand up, "_Hey!"_

"I see it." Natasha says, "I guess he really _is _bringing an army from outer space." Steve and Thor both stand and walk over to see. I watch as dark figures start pouring out of the portal in the sky and realize that they're aliens.

"The Chitauri!" Thor growls, turning around, "It is time. I must confront my brother!" Before any of us can stop him, he pries open the back door and leaps into the sky. I brace myself against the fierce wind until Clint closes the door with the click of a button.

Dashing to the window, I watch as Thor flies ahead of the quinjet and towards the building. The Chitauri are still pouring into the city, but I see Tony in his Iron Man suit flying up and battling them.

Shuffling impatiently, I whine, "_Can't this thing go any faster? We need to help them!" _

"We're going as fast as we can." Clint replies sharply, "Unless you want to crash into the city." I sigh and start pacing, feeling worry claw at my heart. Steve taps his foot on the ground and I can tell he's getting restless too.

Minutes pass by, but they feel like hours. Finally, after what seems like forever, the quinjet flies into the city. Natasha taps the control panel and Tony's face appears.

"Stark, we're on your three, headed northeast." she says.

"_**What? Did you stop for drive-through?"**_ he snaps irritably, but he sounds relieved, "_**Swing up Park. I'm gonna lay 'em out for you." **_

I trot up to the window, wedging myself between Clint's chair and the panel. We're flying down a street, heading towards a rectangular building. Suddenly, Tony appears from behind another building with a bunch of Chitauri on his tail. Natasha grips the handle and clicks a button on it. The jet rumbles beneath me and starts shooting at the aliens. A few get hit, along with the building, and a car explodes. The quinjet flies upwards, through the smoke, and into the clear sky.

"Tower." Clint says simply, steering the jet towards the building shooting the blue light. I realize that it must be the tower Loki's attacking from- Stark Tower. Chitauri are swarming around the tower, but Natasha shoots them dead.

I yelp as the jet shudders violently. Clint steadies it and says, "One of them clipped the wing. It's fine, though." He flies around Stark Tower and rises up to the top. On the balcony, Thor and Loki are engaged in a fierce battle.

"Nat?" Clint asks, flying towards them. Natasha nods, "I see him." Clint steers the quinjet so that it's facing the two battling brothers. Natasha prepares to shoot, but I stop her, "_Wait! What if you hit Thor?"_

She opens her mouth to reply, but suddenly Loki throws Thor to the ground and whirls around, scepter raised. Natasha tries to shoot him as he fires a blast at us. Clint quickly swerves to the right, but it's too late.

The blast hits the left wing and the quinjet jerks roughly. I yelp and skid backwards, trying to dig my claws into the metal. Fire erupts on the right wing and smoke swirls around us. As the quinjet starts going down, I notice Steve desperately clinging onto the railings overhead. Grunting, I brace myself underneath the side seats and then telekinetically pin him to the seat on the other side. His eyes widen in surprise, but then he sees me and understands.

The quinjet shudders again and sinks faster, swaying from side to side. Struggling to make a safe landing, Clint grunts, "Amity! Can you help a bit?"

I glance at Steve, still pinned to the seat, and order, "_Steve, strap yourself in now!"_ He nods and quickly puts on the seatbelts. Once he's secure, I let go of my telekinetic hold and focus on the quinjet. Groaning under the stress, I try to ease the fall and make it slower. It works a bit, but the landing is still less than pleasant. We land in a large clearing and skid across the concrete, which starts to break and batter the quinjet. I see us veering towards a building and yelp, desperately trying to slow us down. The metal groans under my telekinetic hold and we manage to only tap the building before stopping.

I let out a sigh of relief and slump to the ground. Meanwhile, Steve, Natasha, and Clint all take off their seatbelts and stand up. Clint opens the back door, revealing the broken streets outside. Grunting, I scramble out from underneath the seats, give myself a shake, and follow the three as they exit the quinjet.

Outside, a bunch of concrete, rubble, and gravel is dappled everywhere. Lots of cars are either upside down, destroyed, or on fire and filling the air with smoke. Terrified civilians run around frantically, trying to reach a safe haven.

Steve leads us around some cars and eventually onto some sort of bridge. "We've got to get back up there." he says, glancing up at Stark Tower. We continue on towards a large, rectangular building with odd statues on top of it. All around us, people run and scream in fear. I notice two people trying to lift up a broken car and slow down for a moment. It looks like another person is trapped underneath. I hesitate, glancing at Steve, Clint, and Natasha, who are already getting ahead of me, and then make up my mind. As subtly as I can, I use my telekinesis to help the two people lift the car up and off of their friend. They cry out in joy as the victim scrambles out and I let go of my hold, watching in triumph as they all hug.

"Amity!"

I whirl around at Natasha's call and see that the three have stopped a few meters away and are waiting for me. Natasha beckons me over, "Come on, hu-"

A loud, strange growling noise interrupts her. She glances behind me and her eyes widen slightly, as well as the others'. Frowning, I turn around and gaze up at the portal, immediately gasping in shock. A huge, long, armored, worm-like thing with four sharp fins is flying out of the portal. I watch as it opens its jaws, revealing jagged teeth, and lets out a roar.

As it soars lower into the city, Chitauri attached to wires shoot out from its sides and jump onto or crash into buildings. I jerk in surprise when I realize that the thing is flying right towards us. As it glides over our heads, I make a split-second decision and try to enter its mind. Images flash before my eyes and for a moment I feel overwhelmed, not familiar with this alien brain. Everything is disorganized and scrambled, like it isn't very controlled of what it does. It's not like people being controlled by the stone- this thing has a very simple yet muddled mind.

The only thing I can pick up is images of torture, so I assume that the creature only obeys the Chitauri out of fear. Feeling a prick of sorrow, I don't bother trying to speak to it and instead pull out of its mind.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asks, tapping his earpiece. In the distance, I see Iron Man flying around.

"_**Seeing. Still working on believing." **_he replies through the com link, "_**Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" **_

"Banner?" Steve echoes, glancing at me.

I pause, feeling for the mental bond that Bruce and I share, and then say, "_The pull is stronger, so he must be getting closer." _Steve nods and repeats what I said to Tony.

"_**Just keep me posted." **_

Suddenly, a bright blue circle of energy blasts a foot away from me and I yelp in surprise. Whirling around, I see four Chitauri stalking towards us, armed and snarling. Natasha, Steve, and Clint all raise their weapons, but before they can do anything, I telekinetically lift up a car and ram it into the aliens, knocking them off their feet. Then, I slam the car down on them repeatedly until I'm sure that they're dead.

Steve, Clint, and Natasha glance at me, impressed. Then, Clint looks up at a building and says, "We've got civilians still trapped up there." I narrow my eyes and notice the dark shapes of humans running around in buildings. Chitauri fly around, blasting stuff and preventing them from escaping the structure.

A group of Chitauri riding strange jets soar over our heads and Steve straightens up, gazing after them. "Loki." he growls. I lift my head and spot a green and gold figure on top of one of the jets, leading the group. The Chitauri start shooting at the people below the bridge, causing explosions and chaos.

"They're fish in a barrel down there." Steve says, nodding at the people running around. A gargling sound catches my attention and I glance over my shoulder just in time to see a gang of Chitauri start firing at us.

We duck behind the car as balls of energy fly past us. To Steve, Natasha says, "We've got this. It's good. Go."

"Do you think you can hold them off?" Steve asks warily. I roll my eyes and reply, "_Of course we can! Now go help those people!" _

Turning around, I leap onto the hood of the car and send a telekinetic wave towards the Chitauri that knocks them off their feet. While the aliens are distracted, Steve slinks away and jumps off of the bridge. Meanwhile, Clint and Natasha stand up and ready their weapons

When one Chitauri stands up, Natasha shoots it in the face with her gun. Clint clicks a button on his bow and then knocks an arrow, aiming at one of the aliens. However, when the arrow hits it, more little things spark from it and take the other aliens out. Unfortunately, the Chitauri above us seem to think we're a threat now because more are dropping in and attacking.

I stand beside Natasha, using my telekinesis to hold off or kill the aliens. On my other side, Clint glances behind him and then turns around. I quickly glance over my shoulder and see him running over to a bus with people inside of it.

A blast whizzing right by my head and singeing my ear jerks me back to attention. Growling, I telekinetically lift up a large chunk of concrete and slam it into the Chitauri that shot me. It screeches and crumples underneath the chunk.

Natasha seems to be shooting down aliens before I even acknowledge them, so I just stand by and make sure none try to sneak up from behind or above. Not long after, Clint calls out, "Amity!"

I turn around and see him carrying a kid out of a broken bus window. Once he puts the kid down, he glances over his shoulder and asks, "Can you open the doors?"

He jerks his head towards a set of double doors locked together on the side of the bus. I nod and focus my telekinesis on them, easily prying them open. Immediately, people start pouring out and running away.

"Hey, Amity?" Natasha says without looking at me, "I think we've got it here. Go help Cap and see if he's okay."

"_Are you sure?" _I ask, just in case. Clint knocks an arrow and joins Natasha in the battle. "We've got it. Go!" he replies, shooting a Chitauri in the eye.

Whirling around, I dash over to the edge of the bridge at full speed, ready to jump. When I reach the edge, though, my eyes widen and I skid to a halt. Carefully, I peer over the edge and see a fairly long drop. Er… Steve made this look a lot easier.

Thinking for a moment, I telekinetically drag a car that's in relatively good shape over in front of the bridge so I have something to land on. Then, I take a step back before running and leaping off of the bridge. My legs flail around mid air and I land rather roughly on the roof of the car. Grunting, I scramble off of the car and jump onto the ground.

Steve isn't anywhere in sight, not that I expected him to be, so I start running down the street. People are either fleeing or taking shelter in buildings, their faces pressed against the glass as they peer outside. Some point at me as I pass by, but otherwise, they ignore me.

A group of destroyed, battered cars blocks the street a few meters away, so I speed up and jump on top of one. When I hop onto the next, it teeters precariously and I yelp, scrambling onto the car in front of it. This one is sturdy, but when I put my weight on it, a human voice yells from underneath me. Frowning, I leap down onto the ground and peer under the flipped car. A man is lying on his back, still strapped to the seat, and trying to pry his legs out from under the dashboard. When he sees me, he stretches out his arm and cries, "Help! Go… go get help!"

I stare at him, pondering about what to do. Then, I slowly crawl through the window, being mindful about the shattered glass. The man tries to push me away, but I crawl closer and start nudging the broken dashboard. Meanwhile, I use my telekinesis to bend it backwards and off of the man's legs. Feeling that he's free, the man immediately starts scrambling out of the car. I hop out and bite his wrist gently, helping him out.

"Good girl!" the man says, panting. He pats my head and then starts towards one of the buildings, "Come on, doggie. We've got to get out of the street."

Shaking my head, I lick his wrist before turning around dashing down the road. "Hey, wait!" I hear him yell after me, "Come back!"

Ignoring him, I run around a car and come across a trio of Chitauri busy shooting things. Lifting up the car with my telekinesis, I slam it into them, and then fling their bodies into a flaming building. As I do, I catch a glimpse of red, white, and blue on the other end of the street.

Wagging my tail, I run over to the figure and call out telepathically, "_Steve!" _

The super soldier pauses in his battle with an alien and glances at me before killing the Chitauri. He gestures me to follow and vaults over a broken car, running over to a bigger group of working vehicles. I dash after him and notice that there are people dressed in blue standing next to the cars. Something about them radiates authority, but Steve doesn't seem to care because he jumps onto a car in front of them and starts giving orders.

"You need men in these buildings." he says, pointing to the buildings. I catch up to him and jump onto the car beside him. He doesn't glance at me and continues, "There are people inside and they're going to be running right into the line of fire. You take them to the basements of through the subway. You keep them off the streets. I need a perimeter as far back as 39th."

The men stare at him skeptically. "Why the hell should I take orders from you?" one of them asks incredulously.

The ground rumbles and I turn around, seeing a car explode and flip over behind us. A bunch of Chitauri advance on us and start firing. Steve blocks a shot with his shield and smashes it into the head of a Chitauri that jumps onto the car. Another one tries to attack him from behind, but I snarl threateningly and send it hurtling into a car with my telekinesis. Seeing another Chitauri on the ground trying to join the fight, I take a chance and pounce on it. We both fall to the ground and I quickly use my telekinesis to snap its neck. I feel my blood run cold as I watch the light fade from its eyes. Fighting back nausea, I step off of the dead body and stare at it guiltily. I hate having to kill things, alien or not.

Tearing my gaze away from it, I look at Steve, who has just finished slicing the arm off of a Chitauri and kicks it off of the car. He grimaces and pants for a few moments. I jump up onto the car again and sniff him, checking for injuries. Meanwhile, the two men are staring at us in amazement.

Then, one of them turns around and starts ordering the other men, "I need men in those buildings. Lead the people down and away from the streets. We're going to set up a perimeter all the way down to 39th street."

As the men get to work, Steve and I slide off of the car roof. "What are you doing here?" he asks, turning to me. I tilt my head and reply, "_I came to see if you needed help."_

"If I did, I would've asked for some through the com link." he counters. I huff and say, "_Well… Clint and Natasha were doing just fine together. They said I could come help you and…" _I try to think of something else to say, and then give up, "_I don't know! I came because I care about you! What if you were too busy fighting to tap your earpiece? What if you got knocked out? What if-"_

"Amity!" Steve interrupts, "It's fine, really."

"_Oh." _I stop blabbering and wag my tail, "_Okay." _

He smiles and scratches my scruff fondly, "Come on. Let's get back to Barton and Romanoff." I trot after him as he turns around and jogs back down the street.

Chitauri fly overhead like a swarm of gnats, shooting at buildings or at us. Very occasionally, I lift up a car and swipe at them, either hitting them or causing them to lose control and crash. A few of them drop down into the street to fight us, but Steve takes care of them easily. Soon enough, the bridge where I left Clint and Natasha comes into view.

To my dismay, though, a group of Chitauri are climbing onto the bridge. More drop down from buildings or jets and join them. The sound of fighting reaches my ears and I let out a yelp.

"_We have to get up there!" _I exclaim fearfully. Steve looks around, searching for something to jump on. After a moment, he turns to me, "Can you use your telekinesis and give me a boost?"

I wrinkle my nose, replying warily, "_Er… I can try." _Steve walks over and positions himself in front of the bridge. I hesitate, and then push my telekinesis underneath his feet. The super soldier wobbles for a moment before regaining his balance.

"_Ready?" _I ask. Steve nods and bends his knees, placing his shield in front of his torso. I take a deep breath, and then exclaim, "_Now!" _I surge my telekinesis upwards just as Steve jumps. With my boost, he easily manages to clear the barrier and land on the bridge.

I yelp in triumph, listening to the sounds of the battle. The Chitauri are screeching more often and I see a couple of them flee. Suddenly, lightning erupts from the cloudy sky and strikes the bridge. Immediately, all battle sounds cease and I watch as Thor flies down joins the others.

I glance around, trying to figure out how to get up onto the bridge, since I'm pretty sure I can't telekinetically lift myself onto it. Seeing a bunch of cars lying around, I get an idea and start stacking them upon each other. It takes a couple of tries due to gravity pulling them to the ground, but eventually I manage to make a staircase of cars.

I eagerly jump up onto the first car, which holds my weight just fine. Wagging my tail happily, I quickly clamber up onto the second car, and then the one after that. They start to creak and teeter as I get higher, but I ignore it and continue climbing. All of the sudden, my left paw slips on the metal and I stumble. The car beneath me lurches frighteningly and I yelp in fear. Bunching up my muscles, I spring onto the next car, which wobbles even more, and then clear the next two cars before landing sloppily on the bridge. Right as I set foot on it, my car staircase topples to the ground with a loud series of clangs.

Panting, I let out a huff of triumph and turn around. Clint, Natasha, Thor, and Steve are staring at me. I wag my tail and say casually, "_Hey, guys. What'd I miss?"_

After a moment, Steve shakes his head dismissively, "Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him, these things could run wild." he gestures to the Chitauri, and then starts walking backwards, "We got Stark up top. He's going to need us to…"

He trails off at the sound of a vehicle approaching. We all turn and see a person riding a motorcycle towards us. I gasp when I realize that the person is actually Bruce.

My owner slows to a stop and dismounts the motorcycle. He starts walking towards us, gazing at the others, but then his eyes land on me and he smiles.

"Hey, 'Mit. I've missed you."

**Yaaaay, Bruce is back! Guys, get freaking ready for the next scene because omfg it is cute. At least, I think so. My sister squealed when she read it, so...**

**Anyway, if you guys want to check out my other stories, be my guest! I have some Avengers stories, an Avengers/Hunger Games one-shot, a How to Train Your Dragon series, aaaaand I think that's it... It would be really awkward if I missed one...**

**See ya next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	14. Chapter 14

**Big note at the end of the chapter**

**Time for Bruce and Amity to reunite!**

**The title of this chapter is from Avril Lavigne 'Keep Holding On'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Fourteen

With You By My Side, I Will Fight and Defend

"_Bruce!" _I cry out, dashing over to my owner in joy. Bruce grins, bending down to greet me. When I reach him, I rear up on my hind legs and wrap my forepaws around him, licking his face frantically.

"_Oh my gosh Bruce I missed you so much and now you're here and where did you go and what happened with the Hulk and I can't believe you're here and I missed you so much and- and- and-" _

Whirling around, I run over to Clint, Natasha, Steve, and Thor, yelping in glee, "_Guys, guys, guys, Bruce is here! Bruce, he's-" _They're already jogging over, so I turn around and skid back to Bruce. In my excitement, I trip over my paws and fall on the ground, but immediately scramble back up and race over to my owner.

Not bothering to slow down, I practically leap into Bruce's arms. He grunts under my weight and falls backwards onto his bum. I whine, my tail wagging wildly, and cover his face in licks. He squints his eyes shut and tries to push me away, but I scramble on top of him and pin him down.

"_Where the hell did you go, Bruce?!" _I exclaim, pausing in my licking to sniff him, "_How dare you keep me waiting for so long?! I had no idea where you went and you didn't call or anything and how could you do that to me and- oh, I'm just so glad you're back!" _

"Amity!" he blurts, trying to sit up. I jump off of him and run around him in a circle, sniffing and nipping at his clothes. "_These are new." _I state, clambering onto his legs to investigate his pants, "_Where'd you get them? They smell like another human. Who was it? Who were you with?" _

"Amity, calm down!" Bruce says, laughing a bit. I turn and start licking his face again, my tail whipping the air. He pulls away from my tongue and instead envelops me in a hug. I feel my heart swell in happiness and lick his ear, still fidgeting as I try to get closer to him.

"_I missed you, Bruce!" _I nuzzle into his neck, whining in excitement. My owner buries his face into my scruff and murmurs, "I missed you too, Amity."

For a few moments, we simply embrace each other and relish being together again. Then, Bruce pulls away and gazes up at the rest of the team. His smile falters a bit, but I give him a nudge and let him stand up.

After he brushes himself off, Bruce says awkwardly, "So…" He glances at the destruction around, "...This all seems horrible."

"I've seen worse." Natasha says indifferently. I narrow my eyes and growl a light warning, not wanting her to ruin this happy mood.

Still, being the awesome person that he is, Bruce apologizes, "Sorry."

"No," Natasha shakes her head, holding his gaze, "We could use a little worse."

Next to her, Steve taps his earpiece and says, "Stark, we've got him." In my ear, I hear Tony's voice, "_**Banner?"**_

"Just like you said." Steve says, smiling at Bruce, who smiles back. Oblivious, Tony says, "_**Then tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." **_

Then, Tony appears, flying out from behind a building. A moment later, the huge, armored, worm-like creature bursts through the building, sending shards of glass and metal plummeting to the ground. The thing roars and chases after Tony, who's leading it right towards us.

Next to me, Steve and Clint tense up and Thor grips his hammer. On my other side, Natasha shakes her head, staring at the thing, "I don't see how that's a party."

The creatures flies closer, knocking over cars and uprooting chunks of concrete. I raise my hackles and growl, but I'm not so sure I can stop something so big and powerful. Then, to my surprise, Bruce glances to and fro before striding towards it.

I swallow a yelp and take a step forward, wanting to stop him, "_Wait, Bruce…"_

"Dr. Banner." Steve says, "Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

Bruce glances over his shoulder, still walking towards the approaching creature. He smiles and says, "That's my secret, Captain." He continues walking, and then pauses, glancing back. Our gazes meet and I notice a green tinge within his eyes. My eyes widen and he nods slightly before replying, "I'm always angry."

Then, he turns around, morphing into the Hulk as he does so. His shirt tears and rips off, being replaced by large, rippling muscles. Lifting his large fist, he punches the worm creature right in the face. It lets out a shriek, which is instantly muffled as its skull caves in with a loud crunch. The rest of the creature's body doubles up and raises into the air. Its armor crumbles and breaks into pieces, revealing gray, grimy flesh.

Thor readies himself in a battle stance and I realize that the body is about to fall on top of us. Instantly, I wrap my telekinesis around it and hold it up, grunting in strain.

"_**Hold on!" **_Tony says through the com link, flying overhead and shooting a missile at the creature's bare skin. The thing explodes, sending shards of broken armor and chunks of flesh everywhere. Clint flees while Steve protects Natasha and himself with his shield. I stand my ground, blocking anything that falls towards Thor and I.

Due to the blast, the creature's head goes flying off of the bridge and collapses onto the street. All around us, the Chitauri tear their masks off and screech in anger.

We immediately fall into a defensive circle. The Hulk lets out a furious roar and I stand beside him confidently, raising my hackles and baring my teeth. Clint knocks an arrow and Natasha reloads her gun while Thor grips his hammer and Steve readjusts his shield. Behind me, I hear Tony land on the ground and join us. Together, we stand and glare at the Chitauri as their screeches echo throughout the city.

For a moment, nothing happens. Then, a fresh wave of Chitauri pour out of the portal, along with two more worm creatures.

"Guys." Natasha alerts. Hulk whirls around and we all gaze up at the portal. Tony nods to Steve and says, "_**Call it, Captain."**_

I wag my tail, glad that they're putting aside their differences for now. Steve starts giving out orders, "Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof. Eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash."

"Can you give me a lift?" Clint asks Tony. He nods, "Right." Walking over to Clint, he grabs his scruff and says, "Better clench up, Legolas." The archer obediently stiffens and is lifted into the air, flying up towards a building.

Turning, Steve continues, "Thor, you got to try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You got the lightning. Light the bastards up." Thor nods, swings his hammer and flies away.

Steve nods to Natasha and I, "Us three, we stay here on the ground. We keep the fighting here. Amity, if one of those worm things flies by, I want you to give everything you've got to bring it down." I nod and the super soldier turns to the last of the team, "And Hulk."

My morphed owner whips his head towards him, snarling. Steve points upwards at the Chitauri, giving one simple command, "Smash."

The Hulk grins and leaps up onto a building, grabbing a Chitauri. He then jumps onto the building across from the other and smashes another aliens. As he continues his assault, I notice storm clouds gathering in the sky. At the same time, lightning erupts from a small figure atop of a large skyscraper and blasts the portal. Everything that gets caught in the electricity explodes and one of the worm things, which was trying to exit the portal, shrieks in pain and reels back.

A group of Chitauri suddenly jump down from the buildings and advance on us. I growl and send out a burst of telekinesis, flipping them onto their backs. As Steve and Natasha start killing them, I look up and see that more Chitauri and heading towards us, both from the sky and from the ground.

Wrapping my telekinesis around one of the jets, I force it to crash into another, making both of them explode. The Hulk leaps out of nowhere, snatching two more out of the sky and smashing them together. I wag my tail, feeling proud of my owner.

Turning around, I come face to face with five more Chitauri, guns raised. One of them shoots at me and I duck, feeling the blast whizzing right over me. Steve flings his shield at them, knocking two aside, while I lift the other three into the sky and throw them into a building.

For what seems like forever, we fight alien after alien. It seems like when one dies, another replaces it. There's so many of them, and more are constantly pouring out of the portal. I feel myself beginning to tire and I can see Natasha losing energy too. More and more often I make a stray move and one of the Chitauri manages to wound me. It's nothing fatal, just small injuries, but they aren't helping at all.

At one point, a Chitauri pins Natasha down on the hood of a car. It almost stabs her, but she wraps her leg around its shoulders and shocks its neck with her Widow's Bite. Dashing over, I pounce on the alien and help her kill it.

Since there are no Chitauri attacking at the moment, Natasha takes a moment to catch her breath. Steve walks over to her while I climb off of the dead Chitauri.

"Guys," She pants tiredly, "None of this is going to mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal." She looks up at the portal, which is still pouring aliens.

"_How are we going to close it, though?" _I ask.

Steve adds, "Our biggest guns couldn't touch it."

Natasha pauses, and then says, "Well, maybe it's not about guns." Steve glances at her, and I notice a fresh wave of Chitauri on jets flying approaching. My eyes dart to the blue beam shooting out from Stark Tower and I say, "_Maybe you can do something to the machine on the tower."_

"If you want to get up there, you're going to need a ride." Steve says, looking around for Tony. Natasha rolls her eyes and turns around, walking away, "I've got a ride. I could use some help, though, Amity."

I glance up at the flying Chitauri and realize what she means. Using my telekinesis, I force a jet down long enough for her to jump on. She easily kills the two Chitauri, and then gazes at the controls blankly.

"_Don't worry." _I say, "_I'll run below you and help you fly it. Steve, are you good on your own?" _

"I'll be fine." the super soldier reassures, "Go!"

I nod and telekinetically lift up the jet with Natasha on it. I force it towards Stark Tower for as long as I can without losing connection, and then start running after it. A few Chitauri try shooting at me, but I dodge and continue running. Upon the jet, Natasha also faces the problem of attacking Chitauri. Thankfully, Tony flies by and defends her. After shooting her pursuers, he turns down and kills any Chitauri shooting at me.

Suddenly, one of the big worm creatures appears, with Hulk riding on top. He tries to tear at the beast, but Chitauri keep on pouncing on him. I yelp and falter in my running, wanting to go help my owner.

A red and silver figure flashes by and I yell telepathically, "_Thor!" _The Thunder God turns around, flying low alongside me as I run.

"What tis the matter, companion of Banner?" he asks. I hesitate, and then ask, "_Can you take Natasha up to the roof of Stark Tower? She's up on the Chitauri jet and I'm flying it with my telekinesis. But I wanna go help Bruce and-"_

"I understand." Thor interrupts, soaring up to the jet Natasha's on. I slow down, watching as he picks up Natasha by her midriff and lifts her into the air, flying towards Stark Tower. Then, I let go of my telekinetic hold and turn around, dashing after the worm creature.

I muscles burn as I try to catch up, skirting around damaged areas and dodging Chitauri attacks. The creature is flying low, so once I catch up, I jump on top of a car and then leap onto its tail. Grunting, I struggle to cling on and manage to heave myself onto the creature's back.

Immediately, Chitauri being to advance on me. I spot the Hulk behind them, tearing at metal and aliens. Growling, I run over to him, flinging my attackers off of the creature with my telekinesis. It's rather easy to deal with them atop of this beast- all I have to do is push them off the sides.

Before long, I reach the Hulk and wrench away the Chitauri that were attacking him. Now free of burden, the Hulk tears a huge shard of metal out of the worm thing and stabs it through the armor. Focusing my telekinesis on the shard, I push it deeper into the creature's body, feeling it cut through flesh and bone. The creature lets out an ear piercing shriek and goes down.

Suddenly, pain erupts on my lower back and I cry out, whirling around. A gunless Chitauri stands before me, raising its blood-stained claws to strike again. I snarl, but before I can do anything, a huge green hand swipes at the alien and sends it crashing into a building.

I turn and see the Hulk beating his chest and roaring in rage. Then, my eyes widen when I see that we're about to crash into the same rectangular building from earlier. The Hulk sees it too, and to my surprise, picks me up and wraps his arms around me just as we crash. Metal, marble, glass, and other rubble goes flying, but nothing hits me thanks to the Hulk's protection. When we finally land on the ground, he pulls away and sets me down on the ground inside of the demolished building.

I scramble to my paws and gaze up at him as he stands up. "_Thanks, Hulk." _I say, wagging my tail. The green creature stretches his hand out and touches the wound on my back. His touch is surprisingly light, but I still wince in pain.

"**Alien hurt dog." **he growls, and then snarls, "**Hulk smash alien!" **Whirling around, he's about to jump out of the building, but I stop him.

"_Wait, wait!" _I call, "_I'll can handle the aliens myself, but I need you to go take care of Loki. We need to stop him, or this fight will never end." _

Hulk nods and pats my head with a large finger. I nuzzle it lovingly and give him a lick, inwardly grimacing at the taste. Turning around, he jumps out of the building and starts leaping towards Stark Tower.

I gaze after him and then stiffly sit down, cringing in pain. The wound on my lower back feels like it's on fire and I twist around to look at it. A long gash runs from my lower spine down to my right hip. Whimpering, I try to lick it, but most of the wound is out of my reach. Sighing, I stand up and start climbing out of the destroyed building.

Looking around, I notice that most of the Chitauri have fled from the dead body of the worm creature. The battle rages on farther down the street, emitting shrieks from Chitauri and screams from people.

Ignoring the pain in my hindquarters, I force myself to start running. As I enter the battle area again, Chitauri start targeting me. I use my telekinesis to take one of the blasts shot at me and shoot it back to them. The victim screeches in pain and another one leaps at me. I try to dodge, but my wound causes me to stumble and the Chitauri manages to kick my side.

I yelp and push it into a building with my telekinesis. Suddenly, the same building explodes on an upper level and a figure comes flying out of it, landing on the roof of a car. I realize that the figure is actually Steve and limp over to him.

"_Steve! Steve are you alright?" _I ask, sniffing his face, which I notice is maskless. He grimaces and slowly heaves himself off of the car. "Yeah." he grunts, "I'm okay." The super soldier looks up and gazes around at the destroyed city. People run around fearfully, trying to get to safety. Most of them are either injured, screaming, or crying. Overall, it's a terrible sight to see.

I turn and check Steve for injuries. He has a bunch of small cuts, but nothing very concerning. Steve glances at me and frowns, "That's a nasty wound on your back."

I shake my head and reply, "_It's fine. But now what do we do?"_

Steve pauses, pondering about it. Then, he says, "You go two blocks east and see what's going on there. I'll take the north perimeter."

"_Okay." _I say, turning east and running down the streets. My back aches, but I continue on until I've reached my destination. A gang of Chitauri are in the road, terrorizing defenseless citizens.

Growling, I lift up a car and swipe at them, knocking them aside. More drop down from the buildings and lunge at me. I grab one and start smashing it into the others, but one manages to dodge and shoots at me. Distracted by the others, I duck a bit too late and feel the blast burn my shoulders. "Hey- ow, _ow!_" I cry out in pain, whirling around. Sending out a pulse of telekinesis, I flip all of the aliens onto their backs, just as another one of the big worm things explodes nearby.

To my surprise, Tony bursts out of it and plummets to the ground, crashing through a glass thing with a bus bench, bouncing off of a car, and then skids to a halt on the ground. I trot over to him and give him a nudge, "_Hey, are you okay?"_

"_**Fine." **_he replies, struggling to stand up. As soon as he does, though, he's shot down by a Chitauri blast. I turn and see that the aliens have been joined by more and are preparing for an assault. Growling, I lift up a car again and start smacking them, while Tony recovers and starts shooting fire-like stuff from his hands.

Unfortunately, it seems like the Chitauri have seen us two as the biggest threat because more and more are pouring in. We soon find ourselves beginning to become overrun with Chitauri. I continue swiping at them, but I can't risk sending out another pulse of telekinesis because I might knock down Tony too.

In the midst of the battle, I hear Fury's voice come in through Tony's suit, "_**Stark, do you hear me? You have a missile headed straight for the city." **_

"What?" I howl in outrage, even though they won't understand me, "Why? We can defend this city! We're doing our best!"

"_**How long?" **_Tony asks, still shooting Chitauri. Fury replies, "_**Three minutes, max. The payload will wipe out midtown."**_

"_**Alright. Amity, can you take care of these guys?"**_

"_Yeah, sure, just go!" _I say, already turning my attention back to fighting. Tony escapes the battle and flies into the air. Now that he's not here, I take my advantage and send out wave after wave of telekinesis. The Chitauri get knocked down, try to recover, but then get knocked down again. As soon as they're dazed enough, I lift up multiple chunks of rubble and smash them down on the aliens, killing them instantly.

Deciding that I've pretty much cleared this area, I turn around and head back towards where Steve went. A few minutes later, I find him and Thor fighting side-by-side. Thor summons his hammer and swings at a Chitauri. Steve punches his own rival, but another Chitauri shoots at him and the blast hits his stomach. The super soldier falls down and I leap to his side. Together, Thor and I defend our friend from the rest of the attacking aliens. Finishing the fight, Thor smashes a car and flips it over, knocking down the Chitauri. I lift up their bodies and fling them far away.

Turning to Steve, Thor offers his hand to the super soldier. Steve looks up and gratefully takes it, standing up.

"Are you ready for another bout?" Thor asks.

Steve huffs and replies, "What, are you getting sleepy?"

I notice that he has his hand over his abdomen and narrow my eyes. Nudging his hand away, I see a huge gash running across his stomach, crusted with the burn from the blast. I gasp and immediately start licking it, "_Steve, maybe you should take a rest? I mean, it's been a pretty long day for you and I don't want you overdoing yourself." _

"I appreciate your concern, Amity, but I'm fine." Steve says, and then gestures to my burned shoulders, "If you can take a blast and still fight, then so can I."

"_Yeah, but-" _I begin to argue, only to be interrupted by Natasha, who says through the com link, "_**I can close it. Can anybody copy? I can shut the portal down." **_

My eyes widen and Steve says immediately, "Do it!"

"_**No, wait." **_Tony joins in. Steve looks up at the portal, which is still pouring Chitauri, "Stark, these things are still coming."

"_**I've got a nuke coming in." **_Tony replies, reminding me of what Fury said, "_**It's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it." **_

Steve's eyes widen, still gazing at the portal, and I feel my heart drop, "_No…"_

"Stark, you know that's a one-way trip." the super soldier says, trying to dissuade him. Tony flies by overhead, guiding the nuke, and retorts lightly, "_**Save the rest for the turn, J."**_

As he gets closer to Stark Tower, he pushes the nuke upwards and skims the side of the building. Soaring upwards, he flies along the blue beam and disappears into the portal. I hold my breath, waiting for him to come down. A few moments later, all of the Chitauri throughout the city suddenly screech and drop dead. One big worm thing lets out a strangled howl and collapses on a building.

Seconds pass, but Tony still hasn't come out. Thor looks down and glances at Steve. The super soldier continues gazing, but eventually sighs in defeat, "Close it."

As soon as he says it, the portal starts to close. I feel my heart break and let out a howl of despair. Steve looks at me and murmurs sadly, "I'm sorry, Amity."

My howl melts into feverish whining and I lean against him, burying my face in his leg. I hear him sigh again, and then gasp softly. Frowning, I look up and see that Tony has come out of the portal and is flying down to the ground. My tail wags and I yelp in joy, "_Oh, I knew he'd make it! I knew it! I knew it!" _

"Son of a gun." Steve mutters in awe. We continue to watch Tony fly, but then I notice something off. He seems like he's falling, rather than….

"He's not slowing down." Thor says, swinging his hammer and preparing for flight. Before he can, though, Hulk leaps out of nowhere and catches Tony midair. My morphed owner clings to a building, tearing downwards, and then jumps onto the ground, landing on his back so Tony is saved from damage. Steve, Thor, and I run over as Hulk slides the man off of his chest.

Thor flips Tony over and rips his faceplate off. Tony's eyes are closed and he's motionless. Steve kneels down and presses his face to his chest, listening for a heartbeat. Pulling away, he desperately feels for anything, any signs of life. Slowly, he withdraws and turns away with a defeated look on his face.

Behind me, Hulk frowns and roars at Tony. The genius's eyes snap open and he gasps to life. Thor and Steve smile, and I perk up. Hulk bellows again and beats his chest with his fists.

"What the hell?" Tony gasps, his eyes wide, "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me."

Steve grins and looks around at the damaged city. After a pause, he says softly, "We won."

I wag my tail and tilt my head, "_Yes, yes we did."_ Turn around, I pad over to Hulk. He looks down at me as I approach and lean against his leg. Glancing up, I see a familiar spark of warmth in his eyes and nuzzle him lovingly, "_We won more than one battle today."_

**I hope y'all liked that chapter! Now, the story isn't over yet. Think of this as... like the end of part one or something. There's still more chapters to go.**

**On another note, I'm going to Italy for the next two weeks. I should be able to have wifi, but if I don't then I won't be able to update next Sunday. Just be prepared for a longer wait than usual. And if all turns out well, then I'll see you next Sunday!**

**Love ya!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles **


	15. Chapter 15

**Wow, this is my longest chapter yet! Anyway, idk what the time is for you guys, but since I'm on vacation in Florence, it's still technically Sunday for me. Although it's 10:06pm...**

**Happy Father's Day, btw!**

**Anyway, this chapter was mostly for fun. It was actually REALLY fun to write.**

**The title of this chapter is from 30 Seconds to Mars 'This Is War'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Fifteen

The Fight Is Done, The War Is Won

"Yeah, can I get the lamb and avocado mix?" Tony asks, gazing up at the menu above. The rest of us stand behind him, battered, bruised, and waiting to order. Right now, we're in a restaurant that serves something called shawarma. The two waiters were surprised at first, but then muttered something about being able to believe anything at this point and then proceeded to take our orders.

"Two mixed meat wraps for Point Break over here." Tony says, ordering for Thor, "Romanoff, what do you want?"

Natasha gazes up at the menu as Clint mutters something in her ear. Brushing past Tony, she orders, "I'll take the veal shawarma with shredded vegetables." Beside her, Clint asks, "And can I have the beef and hummus wrap?"

The server nods, scratching down the orders on a booklet, and then looks at Steve questioningly. Steve, unused to this kind of modern food, asks hesitantly, "Er… the pita turkey thing sounds pretty good- can I get that?"

"Sure." the waiter says, then turns to Bruce, "And you, sir?"

Bruce, now in human-form and fully clothed, glances at me before ordering, "The slow-cooked beef and avocado for me, and the chicken and assorted vegetables for Amity."

"Drinks?"

Tony glances at us and asks, "You guys want Coke?"

They all shrug and nod, except for Bruce, who says to the waiter, "Two waters." The man nods and goes off to prepare our meals.

"_I'm not hungry." _I say to Bruce grumpily. My owner smiles and shakes his head, "Yes you are. You're just mad that we're stopping for food before going to the Helicarrier."

Once the battle was won and we put Loki in chains, SHIELD came by and locked him up in the cell again. Now we're sure he won't get loose, not only because Hulk beat him to a pulp, but because Thor had the genius idea to leave Mjolnir on top of him. After that, I suggested that the Avengers should rest and get medical help. However, Tony overruled me by convincing them to 'go get a bite of shawarma'. The others, all hungry and curious about what shawarma is, agreed, much to my displeasure.

"_I'm not mad!" _I say defensively, "_I'm just… I just think you guys should've gotten healed before getting food. I mean, look at you!" _

The battered superheroes stare back at me blankly. Tony snickers and says, "You're not much better yourself, 'Mit. And besides, we were hungry." The genius leads us over to a table and sits down. The others each take a seat, while I'm stuck sitting on the floor.

"_I've only got two wounds. And they don't even hurt that much." _I lie, wincing in pain as I sit, "_Meanwhile, Steve's stomach is, like, ripped open and he has a bunch of bruises. Thor got stabbed, Natasha's been through shit, hell knows what happened to Clint on that roof, and Tony- you pretty much crossed into another realm!"_

"Amity, you're exaggerating." Bruce sighs, scratching my head, "And hey, what about me?"

I tilt my head and reply, "_Well, you're okay, but that's only because Hulk can heal right away. The others, however, cannot. Their wounds are going to get infected if they don't get help."_

"Oh hush, mother." Tony lets out a yawn. Thor looks at me and chuckles, "You _are _rather maternal. My own mother, Frigga, would always worry whenever my brother or I got injured."

I grunt and lean against Bruce's chair, shuffling my paws on the ground. Bruce, seeing that I'm still miffed, scratches my ear and says, "We'll get ourselves patched up after eating, but let us take a break first, okay?" I don't reply. After a moment, he repeats, "Okay, Amity?" I stay silent and he sighs, "Great, now I'm getting the silent treatment."

Rolling my eyes, I stand up and walk over to the counter. A lady walks out of the back room with a broom in hand and stops when she sees me. I walk up to her and ask telepathically, "_Hey, is there a medical kit here?" _

She stares at me, eyes wide. I sigh, waiting for her to get over her shock. The lady opens her mouth, but no words come out. Then, she simply points to a corner and I see a white and red box hanging on the wall. "_Thanks." _I say, telekinetically lifting it up. Turning around, I bring it over to the table, walking away with the lady staring after me.

Setting the box down next to Clint, I open it up and gaze at its contents. Glancing at me, Bruce asks, "What are you doing?"

"_While you guys eat and have your 'break'," _I reply stubbornly, "_I'm going to heal you." _When he opens his mouth to argue, I add, "_I think I've learned enough from you to know how to heal. At least let me do the basics." _

He sighs, trying to sound annoyed, but I can see his lip twitching, "Alright, alrig-"

"Order up!" a man calls out. The server walks out of the kitchen carrying two trays filled with food. My nose twitches as a delicious scent fills the air and I feel my stomach growl. As the server delivers our food, Bruce takes the bread off of mine and sets it down in front of me, "Here you go, 'Mit."

I hesitate, and then say, "_Okay, food first, then healing." _My mouth watering, I snap up a piece of chicken and savor its delightful flavor. Eating the rest of the meat, I move on to the vegetables and take a bite of crisp cucumber. My stomach rumbles in pleasure and I eat the rest of the vegetables, including shredded cabbage and parsley. I swipe my tongue over my muzzle, remembering the time I first took a liking to vegetables. Bruce had laughed and made a joke about dogs and veggies.

I tilt my head and gaze up at Bruce as he eats his own food. I didn't tell him, but it wasn't a very good joke. Wagging my tail, I lick up the rest of my food, and then give his leg a friendly nudge, "_I forgive you, Bruce."_

My owner takes a bite and glances down at me, one eyebrow arched. He swallows and asks, "For what?"

I roll my eyes, "_For being annoying." _Telekinetically lifting my plate, I set it down on the table and then turn to the medical kit. There's a bunch of different objects inside and I mentally curse myself for not being able to read. Nosing aside some fabric that's clearly used for wrapping, I telekinetically pick up a small box and lift it up to my owner, "_Bruce, what is this?" _

He looks at it and replies, "Bandages." Peering into the kit, he says, "The red and silver can is a disinfectant spray." After a moment, he adds, "This is really basic stuff, Amity. Are you sure-"

"_Yes." _I interrupt, "_I'm not going to stand by and do nothing while my teammates are injured." _

"Okay, okay." Bruce says, backing off. I huff and put the bandage box back into the kit. Lifting the disinfectant spray, I set it on the table next to Clint's food and rear up on my hind legs, pressing my forepaws on the edge of his chair. The archer glances at me, mid-chew, as I sniff him for injuries. He's not terribly wounded, but he has a bunch of cuts on his arms and backside. Narrowing my eyes, I spot a piece of glass wedged in one cut and telekinetically pull it out. Then, I lean forward and start licking his cuts. He flinches and pulls away, "I don't think that's such a good idea. I mean, you just ate."

"_And yet dogs' mouths are cleaner than humans'." _I counter, licking a particularly long scratch on his arm, "_Bruce said so himself."_

"And you've been using it against me ever since." Bruce mutters. I lift up the can of disinfectant and spray it onto each cut. Clint's muscles tense as I do and he winces. "_Sorry." _I apologize, quickly opening the box of bandages and putting them on him. Then, I drop down, make sure he has no other wounds, and move on to Natasha.

The ex-assassin continues eating as I check her over. She mostly has just bruises and scrapes, which I treat, but she has a nasty gash on her head that's still bleeding a bit. I gently lick the blood off, apply disinfectant, and then cover it with a bandage.

Padding over to Steve, I notice that he's hunched over and seems exhausted. Nudging his arm out of the way, I look at the wound on his stomach and wince. A long, wide gash stretches across his abdomen, burned at the edges but exposing flesh in the center. Blood stains his charred suit, but it's mostly dry.

Frowning, I step back and scold, "_Steve, this is horrible! Why didn't you say something earlier?" _

The super soldier smiles wearily and glances down at his wound, "It's not _that _bad. Just a little… messy."

I growl, more out of worry than annoyance, and trot back to the medical kit. There's a gauze, but it's inside of a plastic bag. Grabbing it in my mouth, I shake it back and forth until the bag tears apart, plopping the gauze on the kit. Picking it up, I trot over to the bathroom and push open the door. Rearing up on my hind legs, I plant my forepaws on the edges of the sink, turn on the water, and start wetting the gauze. Once it's soaked, I drop down and walk back over to Steve.

"_Lean back." _I order. He does so, but not enough. Dropping the gauze down for a moment, I nudge and prod him until his stomach is mostly facing the ceiling. Natasha glances over and comments, "That _is _pretty bad, Cap."

"Not you, too." Steve groans. I huff, picking up the gauze again, spray disinfectant onto it, and gently place it on his wound, making sure that the whole thing is covered. He winces at first, but then relaxes as the cool fabric settles on his burned skin.

Now that his biggest wound is taken care of, I move on to check the rest of his body for injuries. As I tend a cut on his arm, I say, "_Keep on eating. And once you get fixed by the SHIELD doctors, I want you to go straight to sleep. Alright?" _

"Yes, ma'am." Steve replies, smiling a bit, "You know, I can see how Dr. Banner has rubbed off on you."

Chuffing in amusement, I notice a scratch on Steve's nose and lean forward, swiping my tongue over it. The super soldier jerks his head back in surprise, but I continue to lick his scratch and, while I'm at it, clean up the rest of his face. He tries to resist, but eventually gives up and lets me lick his face, his eyes closed.

"Amity," Bruce scolds gently, "Don't lick the dirt off of him. You don't know where he's been."

"_Maybe not." _I say, dropping down and padding over to Thor, "_But thanks to our mental bond, I know where you are every minute of every day. So, don't even think about trying to escape this."_

Sniffing Thor's stab wound, I start licking it clean. As I do, the Asgardian scratches my scruff gratefully. Once his wound is clean, I telekinetically bring over the packet of gauzes, the woven bandage fabric, and the disinfectant. Spraying it onto the gauze, I press it to his wound and then wrap the fabric around him so that it's keeping pressure on it.

After treating the rest of his cuts, I move on to Tony. His wounds are minor, probably due to the fact that he was protected by his suit. As I treat a small scratch on his head, he leans back and asks casually, "So, what now?" I begin to reply, but he raises his hand, "I meant, after we send Reindeer Games back to Asgard. Where are you all heading?"

There's a pause, in which my eyes flicker to Bruce curiously. Then, Steve fills the silence by saying, "I'm probably going to continue finding out what changed while I was frozen."

"I shall return to my realm with my brother." Thor says.

Clint glances at Natasha and then puts in, "It's back to SHIELD for us."

Bruce doesn't reply, continuing to nibble at his food. We all turn to him questioningly. He glances at us and then shrugs, "I dunno. Back to Calcutta, most likely."

"Calcutta?" Tony echoes, grimacing. At the same time, I whine, "_Aww." _

Bruce looks at me with a somewhat surprised expression, "You didn't like Calcutta? I thought you said it made you feel good to help all the sick people there."

"_I know, I know." _I tilt my head, putting my forepaws on the table, "_I just thought that maybe we can hang out here for a while. I mean, this place seems like it could be pretty good, once it's fixed up. And the people here need help too, you know. Now more than ever, because a bunch of people got hurt during the battle."_

Bruce sighs, scratching the back of his head, "It… it's different here, 'Mit. The people are different, the medicine is different, and I'd be pretty much starting over. Heck, I won't even have a place to stay."

"You can stay with me." Tony offers. Bruce and I both look at him in surprise.

"Really?" My owner asks.

"Sure." Tony replies casually, waving a hand, "I've got plenty of space in the tower. I mean, I've got to do some renovations and fixing in some of the levels, but I'm sure not everything got damaged."

"Hmm." Bruce ponders about it, turning back to me, "I don't know, Amity. What would we even do here?"

"You and I could just do a bunch of science in my labs." Tony replies for me, "And you could finally take Amity to an actual park with other dogs. Has she ever socialized with other canines?"

"Of course she has." Bruce scoffs. Tony turns to me, one eyebrow raised. I pause, and then reply, "_Well… not really. A lot of the dogs in India are strays and, well, they can be kind of… weird."_

"Which is another reason to stay." the billionaire points out. My owner hesitates, and Natasha decides to speak up, "Come on, Doc. Stay in the city for a while. SHIELD will keep the army off your scent."

Bruce glances around at everybody and then looks at me. I tilt my head and give him what he calls 'puppy-dog eyes'. He smiles and nods, "Alright, alright. We'll stay."

"Yaaay!" Tony cheers lightly, waving his hands in the air. He puts an arm around Bruce's shoulders and says, "You're gonna love the lab. It's CandyLand." My owner smiles warily and I walk over to him, resting my muzzle on his lap. He looks down at me and then at my haunches.

Leaning across the table, he grabs the disinfectant spray and brings it over. With one hand he gently pushes my head down and says, "Your turn, Amity. We can't have your wounds getting infected, now can we?"

"_See? You do understa-" _I'm cut off as he suddenly sprays the disinfectant onto my shoulder burns and the scratch on my back. Immediately, a sharp, stinging pain erupts from both of the wounds and I cry out, "Yeeow, ow, _ow!_" I wriggle out of Bruce's grasp and twist around, trying to lick the spray off of my wounds. He pulls my head away and shushes, "Shh, Amity, it's okay. I know it stung, but I had to-"

"_It did." _I whimper, burying my face into his side, "_It stung a lot and it hurt."_

"I'm sorry." Bruce apologizes, scratching behind my ears.

I keep my face in his side and reply, "I'm _sorry I put it on the rest of you guys. I didn't know it would hurt so much! And neither of you cried or anything." _I twist my head so I can look at Clint, who's the closest, "_You're really brave." _

He smiles and scratches the back of his head awkwardly, "Yeah… well… ya know…" I wag my tail and glance around at the others, "_Are you guys done eating?" _They all nod and I say, "_Good. We should go, then." _

"Alright." Tony says, putting his hands on the table and standing up, "I'll go pay." He turns around and walks to the counter as the rest of us head towards the entrance. We wait for the billionaire to return, and when he does, he says, "No bill. She said we deserved it because we saved the world today, so…" He grins, "Superhero perks."

* * *

Soon enough, we're in the SHIELD med bay and are each seated on a bed. This area is more open and there are no curtains, so I assume that the more serious cases are kept deeper within the bay.

Huffing, I circle in the bed and then flop down, feeling fatigue wear on my bones. On the bed beside me, Bruce says, "Not so fast, Amity. Healing first, then sleep."

"_I wasn't going to sleep." _I defend, "_I'm just laying down." _

He opens his mouth to reply, but before he can, four doctors walk in. They mutter to each other, glancing at us, and then split up. One of them walks to Clint and Natasha, another to Thor and Tony, another to Steve, and then the last approaches Bruce and I.

"Hello." she greets, shaking hands with my owner, "I'm Dr. Scherbatsky. You are Doctor Banner?" He nods and she gives him a once-over, "You don't seem very injured."

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine." he replies, "It's... ya know… the Other Guy."

"Ah." Dr. Scherbatsky smiles and scribbles something down on her clipboard. I notice Bruce's gaze lingering on her and I turn to the woman, narrowing my eyes suspiciously. She has blue eyes, dark brown hair, and fine cheekbones- overall, she's too pretty for my liking **(sorry, I was watching HIMYM. I love Robin!) **

Clearing my throat, I grab the two humans' attention. Dr. Scherbatsky glances at Bruce, and then at me, "Well, since you don't need any medical attention, do you mind helping me with your dog. You know her better than I do, afterall."

"'_Your dog' has a name, and it's Amity." _I say rudely. Bruce gives me a warning look while Dr. Scherbatsky simply smiles, completely not surprised that I'm talking in her head, "Of course, Amity. I'm just going to take a quick look at your wounds and then we'll have you better in no time."

I huff and rest my head on my paws as the two approach me. Dr. Scherbatsky examines the burn on my shoulders that I got from the Chitauri blast skimming me. I lay there, tense, as she gently touches it with her fingers and then turns around. She goes to get some stuff while Bruce stays by my side, rubbing my ear soothingly.

Soon, the doctor comes back with a box of objects and a strange-looking cart. My heart lurches as I see her take out a syringe and prepare it. Whining, I look up at Bruce, who asks her, "What is that for?"

"An IV." she replies, "Burns tend to mess up the levels of fluids in the body. Can you stretch out your foreleg, Amity?" I reluctantly do as she says and look away as the needle pierces my skin. The doctor connects it to a clear plastic bag on the cart, and then picks up what looks like a sponge.

Pain shoots through my shoulders as she dabs it on my burn and I let out a yelp. Stiffening, Bruce asks, "Can you give her a sedative or something?"

"I cannot give her any human sedatives." Dr. Scherbatsky replies calmly, "But I've already requested a dog sedative. It is on its way. Besides," she pauses to inspect my burn as she dabs it, "I'm just cleaning the burn."

"_It hurts." _I complain. She nods, "I'm not surprised. It's a near third-degree burn. I'm going to have to remove the dead tissue and-"

"Allllright." Bruce says nervously, sensing my panic, "Let's save that for when the sedative arrives."

"Right." Dr. Scherbatsky nods, continuing to clean my burn. The soaps that she uses don't sting, thankfully, but I would rather her not touch my wound and leave me alone.

Making sure that only Bruce can hear me, I say, "_I don't like her." _He raises an eyebrow questioningly and I explain, "_She's too doctory and pretty and… female." _Bruce smiles and scratches my head, bending down to kiss my nose. I lick his chin and pretend to not notice the glance Dr. Scherbatsky sends us.

A few minutes later, another person walks into the med bay and I look up. As I do, I realize that more doctors have joined us in the room, three of whom are surrounding Steve. He's lying shirtless on his back, occasionally wincing in pain. My heart swells with pity and I send soothing thoughts to his mind.

Soon, my view is blocked by the new person, who I notice is just an agent. He hands a small bag to Dr. Scherbatsky and then quickly leaves. The doctor opens the bag and takes out two pills. Turning, she holds them in front of me and orders gently, "Here, eat these. They'll numb the pain and make you relaxed."

I sniff them and glance up at Bruce doubtfully. He nods and I hesitantly lap up the two pills, swallowing them in one gulp.

Dr. Scherbatsky smiles and puts away the sponge and soap, "Alright. I'll give you a couple of minutes for the sedative to kick in, and then start with the dead tissue." Turning around, she walks across the room and disappears behind a door.

I notice Bruce grinning and tilt my head, asking, "_What?" _

"The sedative. It's just…" he shakes his head, still grinning, "This will be interesting." I frown, not feeling good about his rare mischievous tone.

Sighing, I glance around at the other occupants in the room. Tony and Natasha have already been fixed up and have bandaids in various places. Natasha is standing beside Clint, who's still getting treated, while Tony is observing the doctors' work on Steve. I look around for Thor, but he's not here. Assuming that he went off to talk to his brother, I rest my head on my paws again.

Suddenly, I get the most bizarre sensation. My whole body goes numb and my mind feels like it's being stuffed with a cloud. Colors start dancing before my eyes and…. I start feeling _really _happy.

"_Whoa." _I lift my head, letting my jaw drop. Bruce looks down at me and smiles. The colors and light swirls around him, but his face stays in focus. "_Whoa." _I repeat, slurring my words, "_Bruce, come clossserrrr." _

My owner laughs and the sound rides along with the colors like waves. "Are you okay?" he asks, grinning.

I look around at the rest of the room, my eyes wide. Everything seems brighter and darker at the same time, and also colorless and rainbowy. I start to reevaluate my life.

"_Whoa." _I repeat for a third time, "_This is like… just like…. whoa. Like… yeah, ya know? Just like… I dunno." _

Bruce laughs and gestures to Tony, "Stark, come over here." The billionaire approaches and I peer at his face. "What's up?" he asks, and Bruce replies, "She's on sedatives."

"_Hi, Tonyyyy." _I say, letting my tongue loll out. He snickers and says, "Dude, she's _smiling_. Romanoff, come see-"

"Alright, alright." Dr. Scherbatsky suddenly appears, pushing Tony away, "I have work to do." To Bruce, she asks, "The sedatives are working?"

"Yes." he replies, his lip twitching. I stare at Dr. Scherbatsky's face, "_Hey." _She looks at me and smiles, "Hello, Amity. Are you feeling good?"

"_You're really pretty." _I blurt, "_Like, __**really **__pretty." _

"Why, thank you." she blushes, flattered. I quickly add, "_But stay away from Bruce. I know he's single, but he's not looking for love. I'm the only important female in his life, got it? Tell that to the rest of the SHIELD females, too. Oh, hey-" _I glance past Bruce and pointlessly yell telepathically, "_HEY NATASHA! LEAVE BRUCE ALONE AND DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM! STICK WITH CLINT, OKAY?" _

Dr. Scherbatsky and Bruce laugh while Natasha glances at us in confusion. Scratching my head, Dr. Scherbatsky asks Bruce, "Can you keep her still and entertained while I do my work?"

"Of course." Bruce says, bringing over a stool and sitting on it. Grabbing my head in his hands, he makes me look at his face and says, "Hey, Amity. We're just going to talk while she does some stuff, okay? Just stay still and-"

"_Hi, Bruce!" _I interrupt, gazing at him in awe, "_Your eyes are pretty. They're dark brown, like poop, but don't worry. It's the good kind of poop, ya know? Except for when you're angry, then they're green. Like, watermelon green. I like watermelons. Can we get a watermelon after this?" _

"Sure, 'Mit." Bruce says. I lick his nose, and then look around, "_Where'd that Surecatsky go?" _I catch a glimpse of her behind me, but Bruce pulls my head away before I can see anymore, "Oh, somewhere. Let's keep talking. So… we're staying in New York. What do you think of that?"

"_I dunno." _I say, peering closely at a mole on his jaw, "_As long as it has all these cool colors I'm seeing now."_

"Colors?"

"_SOOOO many colors!" _I exclaim, my eyes wide in wonder, "_They're so pretty!" _

Bruce laughs and scratches my scruff, "I'm sure that New York will have plenty of colors for you."

"_Yay." _I nuzzle his hand and lick his wrist, getting drool everywhere. He grimaces, but lets me lick him for the next few minutes. Soon, I notice a blurry, colorful shape approaching behind him. A few seconds later, the figure comes into focus and I realize that it's Clint.

"Stark told me that she's on a sedative." he says, stretching out his hand towards my head. I snap at it and growl, "_Go away, hawk! Bruce is already petting me. Go pet Natasha. She needs petting. A couple of days ago she was trying to make a move on my Brucie." _

"She was not." Bruce argues. I look up at Clint and explain, "_He's still in denial." _

"I'm not in-"

"Done." Dr. Scherbatsky announces, "Now I just have to clean and stitch up her wound and she'll be on her way."

"_On my way where?" _I ask, my tongue still lolling. Suddenly, drool starts to dribble out of my mouth and Bruce grimaces. "Amity!" he scolds, grabbing a towel from a nearby table, "Quit drooling! It's impolite." He uses the towel to wipe the saliva from my muzzle, but the moment he's done, I plant a large lick on his face. He pulls away and uses the towel to wipe off my spit.

"Doctor Finch." Dr. Scherbatsky calls to another man, "Come help me over here so this can be done quicker."

"Okay." the man says, walking to her behind me. I roll my head towards him as he passes by, "_Heeeeeeeyyy!"_

Bruce pulls at me gently, making me turn back to him. Clint has gone back to Natasha and I take the time to inspect Bruce's face. Gawking at his hair, I ask, "_Is that a new style? It's fascinating! And it smells amazing, like, like, like sweat or something." _

"...Thanks?" Bruce says uncertainly and scratches my ear. We continue to talk for the next three days. Or three hours- I'm not sure. Everything's kind of a blur right now.

Anyway, some time later, Dr. Scherbatsky steps into view again. I watch as she takes out the needle in my foreleg and pats my head, "All done."

"_With what?" _I ask. Bruce stands up and says, "Great. Come on, Amity. I'm going to take you to bed."

"_Aww, but I'm not tired!" _I whine, grudgingly standing up. Bruce tries to help me, but I jump off of the bed before he can and land clumsily on the ground. The world whirls around me and I fall onto my side, "_Spinning! Weee!"_

As Bruce helps me to my paws, Dr. Scherbatsky says, "Bring her here tomorrow so I can put a new dressing on her burn."

"_Surecatsky, I'm a dog! I don't wear dresses!" _I say like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Bruce scratches my scruff and says, "She knows, she was just making a joke. Let's go back to the room."

"_But I'm not tired!" _I complain, dragging my paws as he leads me across the med bay. Clint and Natasha are gone, but Tony and Steve are still here, talking to each other in a corner. I perk up when I see Steve and stumble over to him, "_Steve!"_

They both turn as I approach and Tony sniggers. Steve glances at him and then at me, "Hello, Amity. How are you-"

"_I love you, Steve!" _I interrupt, rubbing my head against his leg, "_Like, a lot. I love you like, like, like," _I lean back on my haunches and flail my paws in the air, "_THIS much! I think we should be together forever. Do you think so, too? Because I do." _

Unable to contain himself, Tony bursts out laughing while Steve blushes. Bruce grabs my collar and pulls me away from them. I follow him as he drags me out of the room, but before I leave, I shout to Steve, "_Goodbye, Stevie!"_

Turning around, I lumber beside Bruce and he lets me go. "Oh, Amity..." he sighs as we walk through the hallways of the Helicarrier, "It's been a really long day. Why don't you just go to sleep while we take care of the rest of the stuff?"

I yawn, letting sweet air fill my lungs, and wobble briefly on my paws. "_Bruce, this air…" _I exhale, suddenly sleepy, "_It's like the best air." _

Bruce chuckles and says, "You're not making any sense."

Frowning, I snap back, "_I'm not making sense, _you're _making sense!" _I pause and blink, "_Wait, that wasn't right. I'm not not making sense, you're not making sense." _I ponder about it and then nod, "_Yeah, that was right." _

"Good job." My owner says, opening the door to our room. I walk inside and clamber up onto the bed. Yawning, I flop down onto my chest and tuck my forelegs in, leaving my rump in the air. Bruce raises an eyebrow at my awkward position, "Uhh…"

"_I dunno." _I groan, "_I just… I can't deal with life right now." _

Chuckling, Bruce turns and backs out of the room, "Good night, Amity." He turns off the light and closes the door.

I sigh, letting my rump fall beside me. Today was just way too weird. Sleep sounds pretty good at the moment, so I close my eyes and let darkness take over my mind.

**All my fellow How I Met Your Mother fans out there say 'heeeey'! **

**I was trying to figure out a last name for Dr. Scherbatsky and then I remembered Robin from HIMYM and I was like, 'Okay, totally doing that.'**

**Haha, Maria Hill used to be a teenage Canadian pop star! **

**Okie dokie, so Amity was being all motherly and now Bruce is gonna go live with Tony. Just reminding y'all that there will be TonyxBruce fluff. Nothing gross or explicit- their interactions will only be, like, rated K+**

**And Amity will be the silent shipper, watching on the sidelines**

**See ya next Sunday! (wait, maybe, I don't think I'm gonna have wifi in Milan... Okay, see you whenever I can update)**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	16. Chapter 16

**Whoa, what's this? Periwinkle Skittles is updating on SATURDAY? What wizardry...? **

**No, not wizardry. I may not have wifi tomorrow, since I'm beginning my looooong, 2-day journey back home from Italy. It's really amazing here guys, but I am a little homesick. Mostly I miss my dog Sir Jordan as well as constant wifi. And 3G. Or 4G. And Netflix, cuz that doesn't exist here apparently. I know, I know, it's like "How do Italians live without all of those things?" **

**Anyway, this isn't the longest chapter, but at least it isn't the shortest. **

**The title of this chapter is from Fall Out Boy 'Thanks For the Memories'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Sixteen

Been Looking Forward to the Future

"Amity."

The voice sounds faint, trying to pierce through the fog of unconsciousness in my brain. Ignoring it, I continue to sleep.

"Amity."

It's louder this time, but all I do is flick my ear dismissively.

"Aaaaamity."

I groan, acknowledging the voice. My mind is starting to clear up, but I want to fall back into the warmth of sleep. The air around me starts to feel colder as I gain consciousness and I desperately try to fall back into my slumber.

"Amity, _please _wake up. You're drooling on me."

"_What?!" _I exclaim, immediately waking up. I lift my head quickly and the world spins around me for a few moments. Glancing down, I see that my head was resting on Bruce's neck. A long line of drool runs from his jugular to my jaws. Yelping, I jump to my paws and lick my chops, breaking the thread of my saliva.

"Thank you." Bruce says, sitting up and wiping his neck.

Still groggy, I plop back down onto the bed, "_Sorry. I didn't realize I'd moved."_

"It's okay." he says, scratching my head, "At least you slept well."

"_Yeah. I slept like a puppy, thanks to those wretched pills Dr. Scherbatsky gave me." _I growl bitterly, "_Ugh. I'm never going to hear the end of this from Tony. Did I really say all that stuff to Steve?" _

"You did." Bruce nods, stifling laughter, "It was actually pretty funny. Figures, your first crush is on a human-"

"_Oh, shut up." _I say, nudging him. He laughs and I shake my head, changing the subject, "_What are we doing today?" _

"First, we're going to the med bay so Dr. Scherbatsky can change the dressing on your burn." he replies. I roll my eyes at the mention of Dr. Scherbatsky and he continues, "After that, we're heading to Central Park to send Loki and Thor back to Asgard. Then, we eat breakfast somewhere and go get settled at Stark Tower."

"_Great." _I say, wagging my tail, "_I can't wait to see the New York when it's not, ya know, under siege. Let's go!" _Standing up, I turn and jump off of the bed. Pain shoots through my forgotten wounds and I stumble, landing on my chest and knocking the air out of me.

"Are you okay?" Bruce asks as he helps me up.

I grunt, clambering to my paws, "_Yeah. I just forgot about my wounds. The pain medication has worn off now."_

"So, let's go get some more." My owner says, leading the way to the door. I stiffly follow him, stretching out my sore, worn out muscles. "_Yesterday's battle is starting to catch up with me." _I say to Bruce, huffing, "_Loki's in the SHIELD cell again, right?"_

"Trapped under Thor's hammer." Bruce nods, "While you were sleeping, we decided that Thor's going to take the Tesseract back to Asgard. It's better to have that amount power out of our reach. He's going to need it, anyway, to get back to Asgard, since the Bifrost is apparently broken."

"_Bifrost?" _I question.

He replies, "Some magical thing that lets people travel from realm to realm. Stark called it a rainbow bridge."

"_Cool." _I pad by his side for a few more minutes. Soon, we stop in front of the med bay and Bruce opens the door. A doctor immediately approaches us and asks, "Who are you here to see?"

"Dr. Scherbatsky." Bruce replies, "For Amity." The doctor glances at me and then nods, turning around and leading us away. "Never thought Scherbatsky would turn out to be a vet, too." he says jokingly as we follow him. Bruce laughs, but it's more out of politeness than humor.

The doctor leads us into a room and I see Dr. Scherbatsky standing beside a bed with a clipboard in her hands. She looks up as we enter and smiles, "Hey, guys. How's it going?"

"Pretty good." Bruce replies, walking over to her, "Amity's feeling a bit sore. Could you give her some pain medication?"

"_That _won't _make me act like a drunk goat?" _I add, sounding exasperated. Her smile widens and she nods, "Of course. Can't have you stumbling around and saying random things."

She laughs and turns to get the medicine, but I stop her by saying, "_Oh, I meant every word that I said to you. Bruce is mine, okay? Mine." _

Without turning around, she lifts up her left hand to reveal a sparkling diamond ring on her finger. "Married." she says before disappearing into another room.

I stare after her, and then huff indignantly. Next to me, Bruce stifles laughter, "She told _you_."

"_Oh, hush, Bruce." _I growl, sitting down on the ground. A few moments later, Dr. Scherbatsky returns with the same box from yesterday and sets it down on the bed. Opening up a bag of pills, she takes out two and hands them to me. I warily lap them up, waiting for some weird thing to happen to me. However, nothing happens and Dr. Scherbatsky carefully lifts me onto the bed.

As she takes off the gauze on my shoulder burn, she says, "I contacted a vet in New York to get the sedative and the pain medication. I'll give you the address before you go so you can see him if Amity doesn't get better soon."

"Thanks." Bruce replies, watching as she reapplies a dressing onto a new gauze and then gently placing it onto my shoulders. Thanks to the pain pills, it doesn't hurt too badly and before I know it, we're walking out of the med bay.

"_That was quick." _I comment, trotting beside Bruce, "_Good thing, too, because I never want to see that woman ever again." _

Bruce smiles and shakes his head, "I never would've thought that you're the jealous type, Amity."

"_I'm not jealous!" _I say defensively, "_I just don't like it when female humans come too close to you. Especially these SHIELD females. I mean, who knows what they would do to you if I'm not here to protect you?" _I shudder and step closer to him.

"Whatever you say, 'Mit." he shrugs, patting my head. We continue down the hallways of the Helicarrier for a few more minutes until we reach the Bridge Room. Walking in, I see Natasha, Clint, and Steve gathered around the table. They all look up as we enter and I wag my tail.

"_Morning." _I greet, looking around, "_Where's Tony and Thor?" _Noticing how Agent Hill is standing alone on the bridge, I add, "_And Fury?" _

"Fury and Stark are with Doctor Selvig in New York." Natasha replies, "The astrophysicist that Loki put under his spell. They're containing the Tesseract, then they'll come over here, we'll go to New York and send it, Thor, and Loki back to Asgard. Thor's currently in the detention level, putting his brother in chains."

"Good." Bruce says, sitting down next to Steve. I stay silent, remembering the strange blue fog and the eerie voice in Loki's mind. I wonder what Thor will do about it. Perhaps there are magical people on Asgard that can help him?

"You know," Bruce catches my attention and I turn to him, "I never thought something like this would happen. Teaming up with a bunch of superheroes and taking down an army of aliens. _And _I learned how to contr- er, make peace with the Other Guy."

"Yeah," Natasha asks, "How'd you do that, anyway?"

Bruce looks down at me and smiles, scratching my head gently, "Before I fell, Amity told me that the Other Guy and I could do so much good if we worked together. She helped me realize that fighting him would always be a never-ending battle. We were each others' barriers- so, I accepted that the Other Guy is a part of me and we came to a truce."

They all gaze at him with pleased expressions. I lean against his chair and lick his wrist. Clint smiles and says to Natasha, "I think Amity could qualify as a SHIELD therapist."

Natasha smiles and then pauses, tilting her head. After a moment, she puts two fingers to her earpiece and says, "Got it. We'll meet you there." To us, she announces, "That was Fury. He wants us to take a quinjet to New York and meet him, Stark, and Selvig in Central Park."

As she stands up, I ask, "_What about Thor and Loki?" _

"I'm not going in the same jet as that bastard." Clint adds sharply, "I can't promise not to kill him."

Natasha shakes her head, "I'll have some agents put him in a highly restrained quinjet, along with Thor to keep him in check." She takes out her phone, presses a few buttons, and puts it to her ear. A short conversation later, she puts it away and says, "Alright. Let's get to New York."

* * *

I bark happily as warm summer air blow towards me, flattening my black fur to my face. My tongue is flapping in the wind and I wag my tail. It thumps against Bruce's chest and I feel him grab it to stop it from hitting him.

Currently, I'm sticking my head out of a moving car. Once we'd landed the quinjet at some special docking place, some of the SHIELD agents that are helping remove the dead Chitauri from the city lent us a car. Natasha and Steve sat in the front while Clint, Bruce, and I went in the back. After a few minutes, Clint suggested that I stick my head out of the window. Now, I'm standing on his lap with my head in the wind.

I notice that we're approaching a large mass of greenery. As we get closer, my eyes widen in awe. Inside the car, Natasha announces, "Here we are."

Central Park is the most amazing place I've ever seen. Trees, more trees than I've ever seen in my entire life, stretch farther than I can see. And everything's so green and lush! Sunlight shines down on the park, making it look like the complete opposite of the man-made, artificial, destroyed city.

Fresh, grassy scents fill my nose and I yelp in excitement, my tail slipping out of Bruce's hand and wagging hard. "Amity," Bruce says, "Come back inside." I whine in protest, but Clint gently pulls me back into the car.

"_Bruce, can we go there after this?" _I ask eagerly, "_It looks so fun! Do you see how many trees there are? And they're so green! Oh, and look- there's a lake! We never see those in Calcutta! Please, please, please, can we go?" _

"Er…" Bruce replies warily, stroking my back to calm me down, "Maybe we can once things have… settled down a bit. And once you've healed because I don't want you playing in the park and then hurting yourself even more."

"_Aww, alright." _I pout, sitting down next to him. I stare out of the window until we come to a stop in a clearing of undamaged concrete next to the park. Bruce opens the door and I scramble over his legs, leaping out of the car and landing clumsily on the ground.

"There you are!"

I glance up and see Tony approaching us, along with Fury and another man I've never seen before. He looks older, with dark blonde hair and blue eyes. Tilting my head, I trot over to him and sniff his leg. Immediately, I wrinkle my nose and try not to gag. He smells like he hasn't bathed in days.

The man ignores me and asks Natasha, "Where is Loki?" Right as he speaks, another car pulls up. We all turn and watch as Thor, along with two muscled agents, bring a shackled Loki out of the car. As Thor leads him over to us, his gaze meets mine and then flickers to Loki. I nod and plunge into the trickster's mind. To my surprise, the blue fog has faded almost completely and I can't sense any other presence. Hulk must've hit Loki's head hard enough to break the influence.

Pulling out of his mind, I say to Thor, "_His mind is mostly clear now. I think you should have someone check him out on Asgard, but I'm pretty sure he knew what he was doing." _

He nods and turns to the other man- Selvig, I'm assuming- who's taking a strange object out of a van. It's a odd, glass cylinder with metal handles on both ends. Selvig brings it over to Tony and I notice the large briefcase that the billionaire is carrying.

"Banner, a little help here?" Tony calls to my owner. Bruce nods and starts walking to him before pausing to glance over his shoulder at me, "Amity, stand back with Steve, okay?"

"_Okay." _I turn around, more than happy to hang out with my favorite super soldier. Trotting over to Steve, I stand by his side and watch as Tony sets his briefcase down on the edge of the open van. He opens it, revealing a bright, glowing Tesseract sitting innocently in a cube-shaped slot. I tense up and, along with Steve, glare at the troublesome cube.

Bruce uses a weird grabber thing to pick it up and warily lifts it into the air. "_Careful, Bruce." _I warn. He cautiously brings it over to Selvig's cylinder and puts it inside of the glass. Selvig closes the cylinder and hands it to Thor. The Asgardian smiles and pats his shoulder before taking it.

As he walks back to his brother, I look up at Steve and say, "_I'm glad this is all over. That cube caused too much trouble."_

"Me too." he agrees, glancing at Natasha and Clint, who are standing a bit away. I watch as Natasha leans closer to her partner and mutters something in his ear. A few moments later, Clint smirks, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses.

For a moment, I wonder what she said to him, but then shake it off and turn back to the Asgardians. Thor lifts the cylinder up to Loki, who takes the other end. Pausing, Thor looks around at everyone one last time, but his gaze rests on me for a moment. Then, he nods and twists the handle. The Tesseract begins to glow brighter as a blue gloom covers Thor and Loki. In the blink of an eye, they're submerged in blue and shoot up into the sky. Everybody stands back, gazing up at where they disappeared.

Nobody speaks. The silence is long and slowly turning a bit awkward. I shift my weight, and then break the silence, "_Cool."_

Steve looks down at me and smiles, scratching behind my ear with one hand. Bruce glances around, "So…. that's it, then. We go our separate ways?"

"Well, except for you, me, and Amity." Tony says, standing beside a fancy-looking car. Bruce smiles and nods, "Let me get my things." He walks over to the SHIELD car we came in and Natasha, who was next to it, turns around and opens the trunk. Taking out a large duffle bag, she hands it over to Bruce.

Meanwhile, Tony calls to Steve, "Hey, Capsicle! Where are you heading?"

Looking slightly surprised, Steve walks over to him and replies, "Uh, Nat mentioned an apartment that SHIELD is renting for me, since my old one got destroyed in the battle."

"I heard your ride didn't make it, either. Thankfully, you know me, and I can help you with that." Tony says, turning around. Gesturing for Steve to follow him, he leads the super soldier around his car and points to something that I can't see.

Steve glances at him in surprise, "Really?"

Tony shrugs, "Yeah. Might as well leave on a good note. And anyway, I've got more of them than I need."

Curious, I trot over to them and peer at the gift from behind the car tire. A large, shiny, metal bike is propped on the ground. Tilting my head, I pad towards it and give it a sniff. Bewildered, I turn to Tony, "_What is it?"_

"A motorcycle." he replies as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, "Amity, you're soon going to learn that New York is much, _much _more technological than Calcutta. Or, ya know, _India _for that matter."

I frown, "_Hey, I've seen a couple of really fancy places in India." _

"Uh huh." Tony says, sounding totally unconvinced. Steve turns to him and holds out his hand, "Anyway, thanks. I guess you're not as much of an ass as I thought you were."

Tony shakes his hand, smirking, "Don't be so sure of that. Hey," he glances over Steve's shoulder at Clint and Natasha, who are getting into the SHIELD car, "See ya later, guys!" He waves to them and they wave back before disappearing.

"Amity!" I hear Bruce calling my name and walk away from Tony and Steve. I see Bruce looking around and also note Fury and Selvig a bit away, packing up the van. Catching sight of me, Bruce jogs over and asks, "Where were you? I couldn't see you."

"_I was here." _I reply, pretending not to notice the glance he sends to Fury, "_I was just standing behind Tony's car. Must've blocked your view."_

"Oh, well-" Bruce starts, only to be interrupted by Tony, "Hey, Banner! Are you coming or what?"

Bruce and I look at each other simultaneously. I wag my tail and turn around, heading towards Tony, "_Coming!" _Bruce follows me somewhat hesitantly and, when we reach Tony, asks the billionaire, "Are you still sure about this? You don't mind?"

"Of course not!" Tony waves a hand dismissively, "Besides, I need a science buddy. The lab does get lonely sometimes." Smirking, he gets into the front seat of his dark red, topless car and pats the seat next to him invitingly. Bruce smiles and opens the door, sitting down next to Tony and then buckling himself in. Since the car is topless, I simply scramble over the side and sit behind them in the back.

"Ready?" Tony asks, and then turns on the car, "To Stark Tower!"

* * *

"Right?" Tony grins at our expressions, "_Right?_"

"Oh my…" Bruce says in awe, his eyes wide, "Wow. Tony, this is… Wow."

Right now, we're in Stark Tower, gazing at the science lab on the 18th floor. There's even more technology and cool objects here than at SHIELD. It's so… advanced than what we used to get in India that it's almost overwhelming. At this moment, I realize that I've pretty much grown up in India and now this… this is just astounding.

Bruce is happy, though- I don't even have to peek into his mind to know that. I watch as he slowly walks in and runs his hand gently across the side of one of the objects.

He grins and looks at Tony, "Okay. I don't feel bad about staying here anymore."

"I knew it." Tony smirks, moving to stand beside him, "Everybody loves the lab. It's going to be so much funner now that I've got a person that's actually smart here with me."

I wag my tail, and then ask, "_Meanwhile the dog does…. what?"_

They both glance at each other and look at me. After a pause, Tony says, "My girlfriend, Pepper, will arrive here tomorrow morning. I guess, uh, if you don't want to hang out with us then you can hang out with her."

"_It's not that I don't want to hang out with you guys!" _I add quickly, "_It's just… with all this science…. I don't want to hang out with you guys. I'm sorry, but this just isn't my field of expertise." _

"It's fine." Bruce says, "We should eat first, anyway. Then we'll do something else for the rest of the day." His voice is slightly reluctant at the last part and he eyes the science equipment longingly.

"Sure." Tony turns around and leads the way out of the lab, "Let's go get some chow. The kitchen and lounge is on the 47th floor."

As we follow him, Bruce asks, "And, uh, how many floors are there?"

"93. Not including the balcony and basement levels."

I blink in surprise and glance up at Bruce, "_Wow."_

My owner shrugs and smiles down at me, "That's New York for you."

* * *

"_Wait, so is this an entire floor or just one room?"_ I ask, stunned at the scene before me. After brunch, Tony decided to show us our room. I guess I should've expected to be surprised, but I was still taken aback when the elevator opened up in the actual room instead of, like, a hallway or something.

The room itself is huge- the size of an entire floor. A large bed lies in the far left corner with a small table on each side. Next to the bed is a huge window that takes up almost the whole wall. There's a miniature fridge on the right side of the room, flanked by a door which I assume leads to a bathroom. The rest of the room is furnished wonderfully with a wardrobe, a mini eating area, and a enormous TV perched on the wall.

"Oh, the whole floor is yours, guys." Tony says, sounding smug, "I know, I know. It's amazing, I know. I like to treat my guests well."

"_If by 'well' you mean like royalty." _I say, walking into the room. It has a nice, clean, fresh scent, which makes me happy. Wagging my tail, I walk over to the window and gaze out of it. Manhattan is still in chaos, but now it's just because of people trying to clean up. SHIELD is taking care of the Chitauri debris and I can see a few of their agents milling around.

Turning, I trot over to the bed and jump onto it. Immediately, I flop down onto my side and sink into its softness.

"Ahh…" I sigh, already relaxing. Meanwhile, Tony and Bruce are walking around and talking about the cool features of the room, architecture, science, whatever. A few minutes later, I hear Bruce say, "Come on, Amity. We're going to tour the rest of the tower."

"_You guys go." _I say, yawning, "_I'm going to take a nap." _

"You can't possibly be tired." Tony complains, "Those pills that Dr. Scherbatsky gave you last night should've knocked you out for hours."

"_Yeah, but, ya know…" _I'm already curling up, "_Walking and touring and stuff…. And healing takes a lot of energy, so…" _I close my eyes, "_It's just a nap. I'll join you guys for dinner." _

There's a pause, and then two pairs of footsteps shuffle towards the door. As it opens, I hear Bruce mutter to Tony, "She's in love with that bed. You won't see her 'till tomorrow."

"_No, no," _I murmur sleepily, "_I'll wake up in a few hours and join you for dinner. I will!"_

I don't.

The next time I open my eyes, it's dark outside and Bruce is just crawling into bed. He's already dressed in his pyjamas and has a minty scent on him. Lifting my head, I ask drowsily, "_What'd I miss?"_

Bruce glances at me and pats my head, "A lot. But I'll fill you in tomorrow. Go back to sleep." He pulls the covers over himself and I crawl closer to him. My injuries are starting to ache again and I make a mental note to remind Bruce to give me some pills tomorrow.

"'Night, Amity." Bruce whispers, turning off the desk lamp next to him. I sniff and close my eyes again, "'_Night, Bruce." _

I expect sleep to come easily since I'm so tired, but it doesn't. The ache in my back and shoulders is more noticeable now and I shift uncomfortably. Next to me, Bruce has already fallen asleep and is snoring lightly. After a few minutes, I give up and lift my head. I wonder what level Tony's on? Maybe he's awake- or maybe not. He _did _look a little tired earlier, like he didn't get enough sleep the night before.

Sighing, I glance at the door that leads to the bathroom and decide to relieve myself. Yes, Bruce did teach me a while ago how to use a toilet. I still think it's weird (where does the pee and poop go?) but it's definitely useful.

When I stand up, though, Bruce suddenly lets out a grunt. I pause, gazing at him. My owner stays silent for a moment and then his jaw clenches. He grips the blanket tightly and I notice how his muscles are taut.

Crawling over to him, I curl up against his back and send soothing thoughts to his mind, chasing away the nightmare. A moment later, he relaxes and falls into a peaceful slumber. I sigh, wondering if he had a nightmare last night while I was asleep. Stupid Scherbatsky and her stupid pills. I should've been awake to help him! The last time he turned into the Hulk he had nightmares for the next week; I should have known it would happen again!

I sigh again and curl up tighter. After sending a few more soothing thoughts to Bruce, I take a peek into his mind. He's currently having a dream, in which a flock of sheep are leaping over a fence. I'm about to pull out of his mind when I realize that the sheep don't have normal faces- they have Tony's face!

Puzzled, I return to my own mind and shake my head. Closing my eyes, I fall into my own sleep and let Bruce continue dreaming of jumping Tony-sheep.

**Just letting you know the direction in which this story is going, Bruce and Amity are going to help Tony get through the whole panic attack stuff in the aftermath of the battle (like in Iron Man 3, except the whole pyro thing ain't gonna happen). Plus, this is like a prequel to how all of the Avengers end up in Stark Tower, thus changing it to the Avengers Tower**

**On another note, I heard that gay marriage was finally legalized in America! I've been seeing so many great things from Snapchat- everybody looks so happy! But of course I'm on vacation when all of the good stuff happens, because that's just my life.**

**Anyway, all of my gay readers say 'heeeeeeyyy'**

**See ya next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	17. Chapter 17

**Ew, a disgustingly short chapter. I'm sorry. Anyway, Happy Birthday America! And- and Captain America, too, of course ;)**

**The title of this chapter is from OneRepublic 'Good Life**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel **

Chapter Seventeen

This Could Really Be a Good Life

I slowly pad into the bathroom, wincing as my wounds ache. The pain medication has definitely worn off now. Sighing, I look around at the extravagant bathroom, telekinetically closing the door behind me.

Two steps lead up to a large marble tub with a stained-glass window behind it. Next to the tub is a clear glass door leading into a shower with multiple knobs and soaps. Attached to one of the walls is a granite double-sink and next to it is the fanciest toilet I've ever seen.

Walking over to it, I rear up on my hind legs and clamber onto the seat. Grimacing in pain from my wounds, I stiffly turn around into a more comfortable position and then relieve myself.

As I do, I hear footsteps shuffling outside of the bathroom. Bruce must've woken up. A few moments later, the door starts to open and I let out a startled bark.

"_Bruce!" _I exclaim as the door immediately shuts with a muffled, "Sorry!"

"_Knock next time." _I scold gently. Once I've finished doing my business, I stumble off of the toilet seat and telekinetically push down the flush valve. "_Okay, I'm done." _I say to Bruce and he opens the door.

As he walks in with a bunch of folded clothes in his hands, he says, "Good morning, Amity."

"'_Morning, Bruce." _I reply, "_I'm hungry. And my wounds hurt." _

"Alright, well, I'll give you some more pills after breakfast. Just let me get changed and brush my teeth and then we'll go."

I nod and pad past him, "_I'll be on the couch." _ Walking past him, I make my way over to said couch and clamber up onto it. Like the bed, it is one of the softest things I've ever been on. I sit down, forcing myself not to lay down and sleep. As Bruce gets ready, I gaze around at some of the stuff in the room. My gaze soon rests on the TV and I tilt my head. I actually haven't watched true television. Occasionally I would catch a glimpse of one in the less poor parts of India, but I haven't actually taken the time to watch a full show. Maybe I'll do that later today.

A few minutes later, Bruce walks out of the bathroom, fully dressed, hair messy, and smelling minty. I wag my tail in greeting and he smiles, "Let's go." He walks over to the elevator and I frown.

"_Hey, wait a minute." _I say and he glances over his shoulder, "_Brush your hair, mister. You look like a hedgehog!" _

Bruce chuckles and walks over to his partially-unpacked bag. Taking out a comb, he quickly brushes his hair and then turns to me, "Better?"

I nod in approval, "_Much." _Turning around, I lead the way to the elevator and telekinetically push the button. It opens and Bruce follows me inside of it. He moves to press one of the many buttons on the wall and then pauses.

"What level is the lounge on again?" he asks and I shrug. To my surprise, a British voice replies, "**The lounge is on 47th floor, as well as the kitchen. Mister Stark is already there." **

"Thanks, Jarvis." Bruce says as I look around, trying to find the source of the voice. It seems to have come from the walls. After Bruce presses the button for the 47th floor, he turns to me and I glance at him in confusion.

"_I feel like I missed something during my snooze." _I say and he nods. "Just a bit." he replies, "Jarvis is Tony's AI. That means Artificial Intelligence."

"_Where is he?" _I ask, tilting my head.

Bruce shrugs and gestures around, "Everywhere. He basically runs the building."

"_Oh." _I hesitate, and then try to stretch my mind out, looking for Jarvis's. Unlike the stone, I don't find anything to cling onto, so I draw back into my own mind. To Bruce, I say, "_I can't communicate with him. He doesn't have a mind and I can't speak Human. What if he just treats me like a regular dog?" _

My owner shakes his head, "He won't. We told him about your powers." Just then, the elevator doors open and we step out into the lounge. It's a large area with various couches, tables, and TVs. On one side, it opens up into a kitchen and while the other side consists of windows.

"Hey, guys!" Tony calls out from the kitchen and he appears, holding two mugs. He walks over and hands one to Bruce, "Coffee?"

"Sure, thanks." Bruce says, taking the mug and sipping from it. As he does, I narrow my eyes at Tony. The genius is smiling brightly, but he looks tired. His shoulders are drooping slightly and I notice his face seems a little weary.

Sensing my lingering gaze, Tony turns to me and asks, "What's up, Amity? The bed knocked you out, didn't it?"

Shuffling my paws in embarrassment, I mumble, "_It was really soft…" _

He laughs and turns around, "Whatcha guys want for breakfast?"

"What do you usually eat?" Bruce asks as we follow him into the kitchen. The billionaire shrugs and replies, "Whatever, really. A lot of times I just grab a bagel or something and then run off to work on the suits. Other times Pepper cooks."

"I could make some eggs, if you want." Bruce offers and Tony smiles, "Thanks, buddy." As my owner makes his way over to a drawer, he adds, "I hope you like them scrambled because I can't flip an omelet to save my life."

Tony laughs and then glances down at me, "What do you usually eat? Dog food or-"

"_Bleh." _I immediately say, wrinkling my nose.

As he grabs eggs from the fridge, Bruce says, "She usually just eats whatever I eat, as long as it won't kill her."

"You spoil her, Banner." Tony drawls, smirking.

I scoff and say, "_Of course he does. I'm his best friend." _

The genius looks down at me and narrows his eyes. "We'll see about that." he says challengingly.

I hold his gaze and assert, "_Yes, yes we shall."_

He grins, "Let the games begin."

* * *

"Pepper should be here soon." Tony says as we relax in the lounge area. We've just finished eating breakfast and Bruce just gave me my pills, so I feel a lot better.

Tilting my head, I ask, "_Who's Pepper again?" _

"She's my girlfriend." he replies, "And she helps me run Stark Industries. I think you'll like her. I mean, _after _she sobs in relief seeing me alive. She called earlier after the battle was over and… you know what? I'm not sure whether she'll sob in relief or seriously chew me out."

Bruce lets out a chuckle and says, "And I'm not sure which would be better."

"Yeah, well…" Tony shrugs, "Anyway, what do you want to do today? We could have some fun in the lab, see how the city's doing, play in the gaming room-" Suddenly, a piece of metallic rubble falls past the window from the upper levels. We all watch as a couple of more pieces follow it, and then Tony continues, "... Or maybe we should take care of the Tower first."

"Yeeeaahh." Bruce nods, wincing a bit. Tony stands up, "Alright. To the lab, it is-"

He's interrupted once more, but this time it's by Jarvis, "**Sir, Miss Potts is on her way up." **A moment later, the elevator opens and a woman walks in. She's rather tall, with strawberry-blond hair and blue eyes. A suitcase in clutched in her hand and she looks slightly nervous as she walks in.

Tony smiles and approaches her, "Pepper! It's about time you got here!" He wraps her in a hug, which she stiffly returns. Frowning a bit, I stretch my mind out to hers and am startled at what I find. She's really stressed and anxious, but determined. Pushing past that, I learn that she can't take anymore of the stress, which she thinks is caused by Tony. I blink in surprise and pull out of her mind.

But I thought that she loved Tony? He certainly loves her! It's not his fault that all this happened! I swallow a growl, feeling defensive of the genius.

"Hello, Tony." Pepper says, forcing a smile. Tony grins and gestures to Bruce, "This is Bruce Banner. I've invited him and his dog, Amity, to stay for a while. Bruce, this is Pepper. Pepper, Bruce. And Amity."

I let out a bark in greeting, not wanting to reveal my powers if she's going to leave so soon. Bruce smiles and says, "Hello, Pepper. Tony talks about you a lot."

"Does he?" she raises an eyebrow, "How sweet."

Tony gestures to her suitcase and says, "Take a break, Peps. You want some coffee?"

Pepper shakes her head, "I'm not staying, Tony."

He pauses, surprised, "What? Why not?"

Pepper takes a deep breath and then glances at Bruce and I. To Tony, she says, "We need to talk. Just… in the kitchen." She leads the way and Tony follows her, looking confused. Once they disappear, Bruce turns to me.

"What was that about?" he asks.

I reply, "_She's going to break up with him." _

His eyes widen, "What? Why?"

"_She thinks he's too reckless and is causing her too much stress. She thinks that caring about him will only cause her more pain because she doesn't know when he's going to just suddenly fly off into battle- or start one. _I _think that she's too scared to love him because she doesn't trust him enough to keep himself safe in battle and he might die." _

Bruce pauses, processing this information. Then, he grimaces and shrugs, "Well, I guess that's slightly reasonable. I mean, he probably does put himself in danger with the Iron Man suit often. She wouldn't want to have a boyfriend that might die any second."

I frown, "_But if she really loved him, then she would deal with it. Yes, it would be stressful not knowing if he's going to come back dead or alive, but if their love was true, then it would be worth it. People that are married to soldiers, or firefighters, or even policemen and policewomen have to deal with this everyday. But they _do _because they love their mate."_

Bruce blinks in surprise, "So… you don't think she truly loves him?"

"_I think she cares about him, but, no, she doesn't truly love him." _

Bruce nods and, after a moment, smiles, "How did you get so wise when it comes to love?"

I shrug, "_It kinda just came to me. Love isn't that difficult." _

My owner scratches my head and pulls me closer, "You're amazing, Amity."

I wag my tail and nudge his torso, "_I know."_

As we sit there, the voices in the kitchen slowly get louder and angrier. Bruce shifts uncomfortably, "We, uh, we shouldn't listen." Leaning forward, he grabs a remote off of the ottoman and clicks a button on it. The TV on the wall flickers to life and I perk up. So, the remote controls this thing!

Bruce doesn't seem to be paying attention to the TV, but I am. Colors and figures move in the thin box, each one extravagant and vibrant. Tilting my head, I say, "_Tell me about television, Bruce."_

My owner glances at me and then says, "Well, there's different kinds of channels and each channel has different kinds of shows. There's news channels, food channels, house channels, action, romance, etc. Often, shows are interrupted by short periods of commercials, which are ads for products and places."

"_What channel is this?" _I ask, staring at the TV with wide eyes. Bruce clicks the remote and a small rectangle with words appears on the screen briefly before disappearing.

"BBC America." he replies, "I think it usually plays mystery and crime-solving shows."

"_What's this show?" _

Bruce makes the box appear again before replying, "Doctor Who. It's going to be over soon, though-"

Suddenly, shouts echo throughout the room. A moment later, Pepper storms out of the kitchen with Tony walking after her. "Pepper, you're being ridiculous!" he yells, "I am perfectly capable of keeping myself alive and-"

"That's not what I saw!" Pepper retorts, "You flew right into that portal! I didn't know if you were going to come out or not and- and-" She stops, pinching the bridge of her nose. Tony watches her with a guarded expression. Finally, she exhales loudly and says, "I'm sorry, but I just can't. The stress- it's just- it's literally driving me insane. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but… I'm done."

Tony gazes at Pepper, looking disappointed, "So… that's it, then?"

She pauses, and then nods, "Goodbye, Tony." Turning around, she walks into the elevator and presses a button. She keeps her eyes trained on the ground until the doors close. When they do, Tony lets out a loud sigh and runs his hand through his hair.

Bruce and I glance at each other awkwardly. A heavy silence hangs in the air, only broken by the soft chatter of the TV. After a long pause, Tony shakes his head and turns around. He blinks when he sees us, as if he forgot we were here, and scratches the back of his head sheepishly.

"Sorry you had to see that." he says. Bruce shakes his head and pats the couch beside him, "Are… are you okay?"

Tony sighs and sits down next to him, "Yeah. I guess I had this coming. Peps, well, she worries about me- I mean, she thinks I'm reckless and arrogant, which I guess I am sometimes. We've argued about this before; the whole 'I don't know when you might fly off and get yourself killed' thing. Now that I think about it, it's not really fair to expect her to be totally fine about all of this. I have enemies and stuff- she's right, actually. I _could _get killed whenever I fly off to save the day in my Iron Man suit and I _know _that. I know that, but I still take the risk because it's the right thing to do. I just wish she could see that too." He pauses before saying, "Maybe it's better this way. She'll be safer away from me." He glances at Bruce and shrugs, "I mean, ya know, she doesn't have a suit of armor, or a violent angry side, or telekinetic and telepathic powers…"

The genius pats my head and I nuzzle his hand. He hums and then sighs, "Oh well. Shall we start re-designing Stark Tower?" Bruce reflects my surprise at Tony being able to shake off a break-up so easily.

"Um…" My owner replies, "...Sure. If you're up for it."

"Yeah. Why not?" Tony shrugs, "I've been dumped before. It happens, but I learned to not dwell on these things. Now, let's go play with science!" He stands up and walks towards the elevator. Bruce glances at me before following him.

Hesitating, I ask, "_While you play with science, can I play with the TV?"_

"Sure." Tony replies, "Try not to break it, though."

"_I won't!" _I say as he and Bruce enter the elevator. My owner waves goodbye before the doors close. I turn back to the TV and mutter, "Okay, then. That was fast."

Glancing around for the remote, I bring it over with my telekinesis and focus on turning the volume up louder. There's multiple buttons, each with words or numbers on them that I don't understand. Mentally cursing myself for not being able to read, I take a chance and telekinetically press the plus sign on a long button. Plus means positive, so that should make it louder, right?

A small rectangle appears on the bottom of the screen, partially filled with a light blue color. When I press the button again, the blue grows slightly bigger and the sound slightly louder. I continue to press it until the sound is loud enough for my comfort and the blue has filled a quarter of the rectangle.

Feeling smug, I sit straight and snicker, "I'm a genius." Pricking my ears, I listen and watch the television intently.

A male voice, different from Jarvis's, announces, "**And now, get ready for a marathon of the world's only consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes."**

I tilt my head. Sherlock? I've never heard a name like that before.

The show begins with a blue-eyed and blond-haired man having a nightmare about being in war with his soldier buddies. He wakes up and goes to see his therapist, who is a total skank if you ask me. She clearly doesn't know what the hell she's doing and tells him to write a blog. A _blog. _

"How would a _blog _help him, you stupid human?" I bark at the TV, rolling my eyes.

As the show continues, I learn that his name is Dr. John Watson. When multiple people start committing suicide by eating poisonous pills, I lean forward and stare at the screen. This is getting interesting! The detectives don't know what's going on (there's a part with texting that frustrates me because I can't read). Meanwhile, John is approached by a friend and offered a 'flat', whatever that is, to share with another person. That person turns out to be Sherlock Holmes, a tall, dark-haired man that notices EVERYTHING except for the fact that this Molly Hooper character is completely infatuated with him.

"Oh, come on, man!" I complain, "She's so obviously in love with you! And poor John! You're puzzling him!"

For the next hour, I watch the show and bark out random comments. I start to like how Sherlock and John interact with each other when they go out on a case. The other detectives clearly don't like Sherlock, but John thinks he's really smart. Which he is, in a slightly weird way, if you ask me.

"Well, don't get into the car!" I growl, "Stranger danger! You don't know _where _they're going to take you!" John doesn't listen to me and still gets into the car. I roll my eyes, "Moron."

When John and Sherlock go to the restaurant and the waiter thinks they're dating, I tilt my head in confusion. Why would he think that? I thought only males and females date, not males and males. John asks if Sherlock has a boyfriend, which he doesn't, and then it turns into this awkward conversation in which Sherlock thinks John is interested in a relationship with him and-

Just then, the elevator dings and Bruce walks out. I glance at him and frantically look for the pause button on the remote. Once I find it, I glance at Bruce and ask, "_Hey, what's up?"_

"Tony forgot his phone in the kitchen." Bruce says, "We're creating a digital model of how the renovated Tower is going to look. What are you watching?"

"_Sherlock." _I reply, "_I love TV."_

Bruce smiles, grabs Tony's phone, and walks back towards the elevator. Before he can reach it, though, I ask, "_Bruce, can male humans date other males?"_

He pauses and glances at me, "What? Where'd you hear that?"

I point at the frozen TV with my nose, "_John."_

"Oh." Bruce looks mildly surprised, "Well, yes, actually. When men date each other, it's called being gay."

I tilt my head and question, "_I thought that meant 'happy'?"_

Bruce chuckles and walks over, "It has a double-meaning. When women date each other, it's called being lesbian."

"_Do gays and lesbians ever get married?" _I ask and Bruce nods, "_But they can't ever have kids, right?" _I frown, suddenly questioning my knowledge on human biology, "_...Right?"_

"They can adopt children." Bruce explains, "However, some people don't approve of gays and lesbians. They think that only men and women should date."

"_That's not very nice. People should be able to love whoever they want." _I say, and then ask him, "_Are _you _gay?" _

Bruce shifts uncomfortably and stammers, "Er… not necessarily…"

My eyes widen and then I frown, "_Well, you _better _be! Because _I'm _the most important female in your life, right? You can mess with any men you want, just not any females, okay? Unless you want to spend the rest of your life mateless-"_

"Amity!" Bruce exclaims and I laugh, licking his cheek. He shakes his head and says jokingly, "Well, since you won't let me be straight, then, yeah, I guess I'm gay now."

"_Good." _I say, turning back to the TV, "_Now hush and let me watch Sherlock." _

Bruce huffs and pats my head before walking to the elevator. I unpause the TV and continue watching the show.

Needless to say, it was amazing.

And now I want Sherlock and John to be together.

**I actually really like Sherlock and Molly together, but for the purposes of teaching Amity about gayness so she doesn't freak out later about Bruce and Tony... **

**So, yeah, bye bye Pepper, I'm not sorry about that**

**Idk, I don't think I really like this chapter. It seems weird. **

**But I still love Sherlock.**

**Until next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles **


	18. Chapter 18

**Woo, longest chapter yet! Sorry, not as much Tony and Bruce as other chapters, more Amity and some OCs.**

**Okie dokie, here we go!**

**The title of this chapter is from Taylor Swift 'Fifteen'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own MARVEL**

Chapter Eighteen

Soon Enough You're Best Friends

About a week passes after that with only a few mild events. Bruce and Tony stayed in the lab mostly, doing science experiments and making a renovation plan for the Tower. We discovered one morning that my wounds had completely healed, only leaving scars that already have fur growing back on them. Tony took a sample of my blood, disappeared for an hour or two, and then came back with a bunch of information regarding my mutantness. I didn't understand a lot of it, but I came to a conclusion that, thanks to my old owner, I can heal much faster than normal dogs. Thank you very much, science.

Tony has been exhausted lately and I'm starting to think that he doesn't even go to sleep sometimes. Two days ago, the three of us were in the lab and it was 12am. Bruce announced that he was going to sleep (I seconded him), and Tony just nodded and bid us good-night. Later, I woke up to go to the bathroom and I heard some commotion coming from the lab below, implying that he was still awake. I've also noticed that he seems to be running on coffee- he drinks about six cups every morning. I'm not sure if Bruce has noticed, though… we haven't really talked about it.

Meanwhile, I've finished watching all three seasons of BBCSherlock. It's a fantastic show- I came up with a little thing in which Tony is Sherlock, Bruce is John, and I'm Molly. But instead of solving crimes, we do science. Or, at least, _they _do. I'm kind of like a side-person, such as Molly. I _would've _considered myself Mary, but I'm not married to Bruce, or an ex-assassin, so… yeah.

It's a really great show. I'm in love with TV.

Anyway, right now we're on our way to Central Park. Tony came up with the idea and convinced Bruce and I to come with him. Bruce hesitated, but then Tony brought up that I could have the chance to meet some new, not-stray dogs, and he caved.

At the moment, we're walking into the park, which was barely touched in the battle. More trees than I've ever seen in my entire life loom over us. Birds twitter amongst their lush branches and fill the air with song. Large, grassy slopes stretch out for lengths before melting into a forest. There's multiple outcroppings of rock, some filled with children and others with dogs.

I pause, suddenly nervous. What if they don't like me? I'm not a regular dog- what if they can sense that and treat me differently?

Bruce glances back at me and gestures, "Come on, Amity."

I trot after him, glancing around at some leashed-dogs as they pass by with their owners.

"So," Bruce says to Tony, "What exactly do you do here?"

Tony shrugs, "Nothing in particular. I actually don't come here very often. When I do, it's usually for some work thing, or with Pepper…" He falters, and then shakes his head, "There's good food, and then there's the zoo, and, um, grass… and dogs… trees, ya know."

Bruce clears his throat, "Well, um, should we walk around for a bit and then maybe grab a hot dog?"

Tony nods, "Sure."

I watch the exchange between the two. A warm feeling sparks in my heart, which is soon smothered when I hear the sound of dogs barking. Glancing away, I see a trio of terriers dashing by on the grass, chasing a bright red ball.

"_Hey, guys?" _I say to Bruce and Tony before they start walking again, "_Can I meet you later? I want to hang out with some dogs."_

"Sure." Bruce nods, "You know how to find me." With that, he and Tony continue walking down the pathway. I watch them leave before turning around.

There suddenly seems to be way more dogs now. Some are playing fetch, tug-of-war, or catching frisbees thrown by their owners. Others have left their owners' side and are roaming around on the slopes or forest. I notice a large gathering of dogs on one of the outcroppings of rock.

Giving my pelt a shake, I take a deep breath and then step onto the grass. I don't know who to approach first, or if I should even approach anyone. Maybe I should just let someone find me first? Yeah, yeah, that's a good idea.

I pad over to a tree and settle down underneath its shade. Puffing out my chest, I try to make myself look as appealing as possible.

In the next second, multiple bodies ram into me and knock me onto my side. I yelp, scrambling to my paws, and turn to face my attackers.

Who turn out to be 6 puppies.

A burly, fluffy, brown-and-white pup rears up on his hind legs and smashes his forepaws into my chest. "Rawr!" he squeaks as I stumble backwards, "I've killed you! You're dead now!" His siblings all crowd around me, pushing and nipping at my sides.

I blink, dumbfounded, and then get an idea. Dropping to the ground, I roll onto my flank and flail my legs in the air. "Nooo!" I mock-cry, "Help! I'm being attacked by a pack of fierce dogs!"

The puppies yelp in excitement and clamber on top of me. I grunt as one hops onto my belly, surprised at her weight.

"Mother!" the biggest pup yipes, "Mother! Come look! We killed someone!"

A smaller pup who's on my shoulder notices my burn scar and tilts her head, "What happened to your back?"

Thankfully, the arrival of another dog saves me from answering her question. "Pups!" a loud voice barks, "What are you doing? Get off of her!"

"Yes, Mother." the pups say in unison, sliding off of me and scampering over to the larger dog. I roll onto my belly and stand up. The pups are swarming around a huge, fluffy, brown-and-white female who I assume is their mother. She sniffs them and then looks up at me, wagging her tail.

"Sorry about that." she barks, "They can be a pawful." I wag my tail back and open my mouth to reply. Before I can say anything, though, she turns and herds her flock of pups away. My tail drops and my shoulders droop. Well, that went well.

Suddenly, a voice behind me says, "Wow. Attacked by a pup pack." I jump in surprise and turn to see a black-and-white female dog with long, silky fur. She nimbly trots over and stands in front of me, only a bit shorter. Her chest, forelegs, neck, and muzzle are white while the rest of her body is jet black.

Dark brown eyes gaze at me as she rumbles, "You must be new. Where's she from?"

I blink, but then realize that she wasn't directing the question at me. I feel hot breath on my hindquarters and whirl around, coming face-to-face with the biggest dog I've ever seen. He's at least two heads taller than me, with a lean, muscular body covered with wiry gray fur. His big black nose continues to sniff me, skimming over my head and snuffling.

Finally, he pulls away and barks, "She's been in New York for a little while, but was recently on some sort of plane or aircraft. Before that, though, she was in some place with a bunch of plants and dirt."

I take a step back, "Er…"

"Well, well, somebody gets around." the female says, walking up to my shoulder, "What kind of dog is she?" Once again, she addresses the other dog for the last sentence. He narrows his eyes and circles around me, poking my flank with his nose occasionally.

"Definately a larger dog." he muses aloud, "I think I'm picking up some Great Dane. Not a purebred, though. Her build says otherwise. Stocky, broad shoulders, and a blocky head." He comes to a stop beside his friend, "I'm gonna say a Great Dane and Pitbull mutt."

"Analyzation complete." the female says and then wags her tail, "Hi, I'm Holly."

I stare at them, dumbfounded. What just happened? Was that some sort of normal dog establishment?

"I'm Maximus." the bigger dog introduces himself.

When I don't reply, Holly tilts her head, "Aren't you going to tell us _your _name?"

"Er…" I give myself a shake, "Yeah. My name's Amity."

"Cool." Maximus says, "So, was I right?"

I blink and ask, "...About what?"

"About your breed." Holly says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, "We always do this kind of stuff. Mr. Big Nose here can tell everything about a dog just by their scent and looks."

Maximus puffs up his chest in pride. I tilt my head and reply, "Er… I think so."

"You think so?" Holly asks, "You mean you don't know your own breed?" When I shake my head, she frowns, "Don't you listen to your vet? Or even your owner when they're telling people what breed you are? I'm a Border Collie, and Maximus is an Irish Wolfhound. I mean, I know you're a mutt, but _come on._"

Oh, great. I'm horrible at making friends. Shrugging, I say, "I used to be a stray, so he probably wouldn't know for sure…"

"... Which is where your vet comes in." Maximus says.

Holly nods, and then her shoulders droop, "Please tell me you at least have a vet."

I shuffle my paws awkwardly, "I'm kinda new here, so…"

Holly and Maximus both sigh in exasperation and give each other wide-eyed looks. "Amity," Holly says, walking past me, "You are _soooo _lucky you met us."

"We're gonna teach you everything there is to know about New York dogs." Maximus follows her, his long tail brushing my chest, "Come on."

I turn around and slowly walk after them, slightly unsure of myself now. I'm certainly in no place to deny friends, but these dogs seem a little… strange. Perhaps this is what all dogs are like, though. Picking up the pace, I trot behind them as they lead me onto the open field.

"Alright." Holly says, coming to a stop, "First thing's first. You need to know the cliques. There's the Fitness Freaks," She points to a bunch of dogs in the field, running around, jumping, and playing with toys, "They're always doing something physical. Like their title says- they're freaks about fitness."

"Okay, cool." I say, nodding. One large black dog with pointed ears leaps really high into the air to catch a frisbee. I tilt my head, impressed.

"Don't be attracted." Holly says, noticing my staring, "They may look all hot, but in reality they're not that smart."

"Oh."

"The only dogs that actually _like _being in a relationship with those jocks are the Drama Geeks." Maximus says, and then jerks his head, "Lo and behold, here they come."

Just then, a group of well-groomed female dogs crosses our path, a few feet ahead, and go right towards the Fitness Freaks. One of them glances back at us and wrinkles her nose in disdain before following her friends. I frown as Holly rolls her eyes.

"Troy!" a gorgeous Drama Geek with silky blonde fur calls out to the jocks, "Troy! Over here!" I follow her gaze and see a scruffy male dog with darker blonde fur. He leaps into the air and catches a frisbee before landing on the ground perfectly. When the Drama Geek calls him, he glances at her and says in a muffled voice, "Hey, Sharpay." His tone suggests that he couldn't care less.

When he turns around to head back to his owner, Sharpay trots over to him with her fellow Drama Geeks in tow. As they start talking to the poor male, Maximus nudges me and says, "Come on. We don't need to watch this."

He leads us back towards the trees. We climb up a small slope and end up in a more shaded area. Laying amongst the roots of a large, twisted maple tree is yet another group of dogs, slightly smaller than the other cliques. These dogs are either half-asleep or gazing off into the distance.

"'Sup, bros?" A small, brown-and-white dog asks, lifting his head up to look at us, "Come hang with us." Right after he says that, he rests his head on a root jutting out of the ground.

I tilt my head and glance at Holly. She looks amused as she says, "We call these guys the Chilli Dogs." Maximus snorts and she continues, "They're just a bunch of lazy bums. Sleeping all day, acting all Zen-"

"They're like cats on catnip." Maximus walks over and pokes a Chilli Dog with his nose. The dog rolls onto her back and swats at him lazily, "Heeeeeeyyy." Holly laughs and I wag my tail, chuckling a bit.

"If you ever want to take a lazy day," she says to me, "just come to these guys. They're pretty nice." She sighs and then shakes her pelt, "Alright! Moving on…"

She turns and trots along the slope. Maximus and I follow her, and I ask, "Who are we seeing next?"

"The Goody Two-Paws." Holly replies as we approach a bridge.

Maximus glances at me and says, "These dogs'll do anything to get their owners' attention. They never leave their side, always panting at their heels. They're kind of pathetic."

We pad onto the bridge, dodging people and any kid that tries to pet us. Pausing in the middle of the bridge, Holly and Maximus stick their heads through the railing and I do the same. There's another walkway below us and I notice three women walking along. Two petite white dogs are, as Maximus said, panting at their heels. They gaze up at their owner, yiping or rubbing against her to get her attention. Their owner barely glances at them and continues to chat with her friends.

"Aww." I say, feeling a bit of sympathy, "They only want some attention."

"Yeah." Maximus snorts, "But they sometimes-" He cuts off, staring at something down the road, "Uh oh."

I follow his gaze and see two humans, a man and a woman, standing in the middle of the walkway and looking around. The woman's gaze lands on us and she points, grabbing the man with her other hand. They jog over to the bridge and Holly groans.

"Maximus! Holly!" The woman calls, clapping her hands, "Come on down! We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Yeah, yeah." Maximus pulls his head out of the railing, "Right after two hours of sucking at each others' faces. _Then _they started looking for us."

Holly sighs, stepping back, and I frown in confusion. "Wait," I ask, "You two live together?" They nod and I continue, "So… Are you two mates?"

Maximus's eyes widen and Holly splutters, "What? Oh, no, no, no. Our _owners _are, that's how we live together, but no, we're not mates."

"Oh, ok." After a few moments of silence, I shift my weight awkwardly. Maximus gives himself a shake, glances at their owners, who are making their way up the bridge, and says, "Alright, well, before we leave, we'll tell you the rest of the cliques."

"Yeah," Holly says, "There's the Nerd Herd- you'll know 'em when you see 'em. They know everything, from what type of grass you're standing on to scientifically predicting the weather. There's the Howlers, who you'll hear from a mile away because they're always barking or howling in symphony. Hmm… Careful with Floaters- they go from clique to clique, but you never know if they're a spy or not…."

"Watch out for the Romantics." Maximus adds, "They can be rather active."

"Yeah." Holly shudders, "Uh… I think that's about it. There's some smaller groups and stuff- slightly more normal dogs, ya know?"

"Like what?" I ask, but just then their owners come up from behind them and start hooking leashes to their collars. As they're pulled away, Holly calls out, "Oh, just, like, kin that stick together, dogs that explore too much, pup packs, and-" Her eyes widen and she pulls on her leash, "Oh! The Delinquents! Watch out for them- they're troublemakers, plus they flirt like-" Her owner gives her a hard tug and she grunts, "See ya later!"

I watch as they walk away, being led off of the bridge and out of the park. Then I sigh and look around for something to do. I'm not sure I fit in any of these cliques. And there's so many! I wonder if Maximus and Holly would let me hang out with them more often…

Giving myself a shake, I trot off of the bridge and into the area shaded by trees. I pass by the Chilli Dogs, who barely acknowledge me because most of them are now asleep. For a moment, I consider joining them, but then decide that I'm too full of energy and move on. I head back towards the field, gazing at the Fitness Freaks running around. Maybe I can join them for a little while? Then, I notice the Drama Geeks giggling and cheering a bit away from them and roll my eyes. Oh, no, I am _not_ going anywhere _near_ those preen-ups.

Turning around, I head back into the trees. As I walk, the woods start to get thicker and thicker, and I only see a few dogs and people. Spotting an area where the trees sort of melt into a forest, I trot towards it curiously. Pushing aside the low-hanging branches of a shrub, I immediately start hearing the sounds of barking dogs. Walking in a bit deeper, I then see the source of the barking.

Three small black dogs and a larger brown dog are snuffling around an area of long grass. One of the smaller dogs pauses beside a flower plant and yipes in excitement, "Oh, look! Bindweed!"

"Wonderful!" the brown dog says, trotting over, "It's good to know that they survived the summer heat."

I frown and tilt my head. Is there an environmental clique?

The two black dogs go over to inspect the plant. One of them sniffs and says, "The cloud activity suggests a heat wave is approaching us. I predict that…"

He continues to yap on about some scientific analysis of the weather and I slowly back into the undergrowth. This must be the Nerd Herd Holly told me about. No, no, definitely not the clique for me.

Turning around, I continue trekking through the forest, careful to make a wide berth between me and the Nerd Herd. Although I have no company, I don't feel very lonely as I walk. Birds flutter from tree to tree and I can hear small animals moving around in the sparse undergrowth. Sunlight trickles through the branches and dapples on the ground, warming up my pelt. I wag my tail, feeling content. For a moment, I wonder what Bruce and Tony are doing, noting how I feel a mental pull towards my owner due to the telepathic bond I unintentionally created. Then, I shake my head and continue walking. They're probably off having fun or eating. It makes me happy how Bruce and Tony get along so well. It's like-

Suddenly, a loud splash and a yelp snaps me out of my thoughts. Pricking my ears, I quicken my pace until a river comes into view. Three large dogs are wrestling in the water, yiping and having a good time. I laugh a little and watch them.

A black and tan dog rears up on his hind legs and slams his paws onto his pure white brother. As those two go down into the water, the third jumps onto both of them and yelps, "Ha! Pinned ya _both_-" He suddenly cuts off, staring at me with wide eyes. His brothers tumble away from him, but he continues to gaze at me. I blush underneath my fur and slowly pad towards them.

"Excuse me." I say politely, catching the attention of the other two dogs, "I just, uh, need to cross." I scramble onto a group of boulders trailing into the river. There's a small gap between me and the rest of the boulders on the other side of the river, but I leap gracefully over the water and land perfectly on the smooth rock. Glancing back, I see that the other two dogs have continued to wrestle, but the third dog is still staring at me.

I hesitate, and then briefly peek into his mind. Apparently he is in awe, and that he… oh, God. I immediately flush underneath my pelt and turn around, heading back into the forest. He thinks that I'm the most beautiful dog he's ever seen.

Sure enough, a few minutes later I hear leaves rustling behind me and turn to see said dog. Water drips from his fur, but he shakes it out and continues to approach me. His sleek pelt is mostly black, but he has russet-colored ears that leaks into his thick mane. His legs, undertail, and around his eyes are also russet-colored. Speaking of eyes, I notice as he gets closer that his eyes are a light honey-brown color- almost golden actually.

Overall, he's a fairly attractive dog.

Not that the fact changes anything, though.

Coming to a stop in front of me, he pauses before saying, "Uh, hey."

"Hi." I reply, playing along.

"I'm Caspian." he introduces himself. When I tell him my name, he breathes, "Amity… That's a nice name you've got."

"Thank you." I dip my head politely. When he doesn't say anything afterwards, I awkwardly shuffle my paws and say, "Well, it's nice to meet you, Caspian." Turning around, I start walking once more, deciding to find my way out of this forest.

Caspian appears at my side and asks, "So… where are you heading?" I notice that, although we're the same height at the shoulder, he has the advantage of a longer neck, so I have to tilt my head up a bit to look at him.

"Er… I'm just gonna go check up on my owner." I reply, making up something. That's actually a good idea, though.

As the trees start to thin out, Caspian says, "Oh, cool. Do need some help finding him?"

"Oh, uh, no, I'm fine." I shake my head, trying to get him to leave me alone. He seems nice, but I just feel a little… overwhelmed by his fascination with me.

"Alright." Caspian nods, is silent for a moment, and then continues, "So, where are you from, Amity? You seem new here."

"Yeah, I am. I grew up in India, but my owner and I have recently moved to New York." Why I'm telling him this, I have no idea. At least I didn't mention the whole SHIELD thing.

"Oh, wow." he replies, "This must be really different for you, then. Don't worry, though. We don't usually get attacked by aliens."

I laugh a little, "Oh, I hope not!"

He chuckles, the sound deep and crisp, and says casually, "Yeah… I've lived here ever since I was a puppy. So, if you need any pointers on the city-life, just ask me."

"You're a professional city-dog." I try to make it sound like a question, but it comes out more like a statement.

"You could say that."

For the next few minutes, we walk side-by-side and chat. Turns out, those other two dogs that he was wrestling with were his brothers, and that their owner adopted all three of them together. I start to warm up to him a bit as we talk. Although I don't try to read his mind again, I can tell he's paying more interest in me than most dog would. Like, if there is a long pause, he doesn't excuse himself; he just comes up with another topic. It's nice that he's holding back his affection so much to make me feel less overwhelmed. I decide that I can at least consider this dog as my friend.

Suddenly, a familiar human voice calls out, "Amity!"

I glance over my shoulder and, to my surprise, I see Steve pausing on the walkway. Perking up, I trot over to him and squeal telepathically, "_Steeeve!" _

He laughs and bends down to pet my head. The super soldier's eyes trail to my back and he exclaims, "Oh, wow! You've healed quickly!"

"_Oh, it's a mutant thing." _I say, and then notice Caspian standing by awkwardly. Padding back over to him, I tell Steve, "_This is my new friend, Caspian." _To Caspian, I say, "This is my friend, Steve."

Caspian wags his tail as Steve scratches his scruff. "Hey there, boy." he grins, and then his eyes widen a bit, "Oh… _boy_." His gaze flickers to me and I narrow my eyes.

Caspian licks his wrist briefly before turning to me, "Well, I should probably get back to my brothers. Gotta make sure they don't drown each other!" He laughs, "I'll see you later, Amity."

"Bye!" I call after him as he trots away.

Steve gazes after him and then says, "He seems friendly."

"_You only petted him." _I pause, then add, "_But, yes, he was very friendly."_

Steve glances at me, "Not _too _friendly, I hope."

I roll my eyes and reply, "_Relax, Steve. Anyway, how have you been doing?" _

"Pretty good." the super soldier says, nodding, "SHIELD is renting me an apartment in the city. However, they're using most of their money for repairs, so…" He trails off and shakes his head, "Nevermind, actually. How are Bruce and Tony? I haven't seen them here."

"_Oh, they're close by." _I reply, feeling the mental tug lessening. I should be able to see Bruce soon. "_I'm actually on my way back to them. You wanna come?"_

Steve shrugs, "I don't see why not. Lead the way."

Wagging my tail, I turn around and follow the mental bond pull. As it leads me towards my owner, Steve walks a bit behind me. We walk for a few minutes, the pull getting weaker and weaker as I get closer to Bruce. Finally, I spot two familiar brunette heads and pause.

"_There they are!" _I say as Steve comes to stand by my side. My owner and Tony are sitting on a bench with their backs to us. The scent of warm meat reaches my nose and I see Bruce lift up a food- hotdog, I think- and takes a bite out of it. As he swallows, Tony gestures to the hotdog and says something, although I can't hear from here. Apparently it's really funny because Bruce starts laughing while Tony grins at him.

"Wow." Steve comments, "They're getting along pretty well."

"_Yeah." _I nod, watching the two interact, "_Yeah…" _Bruce says something to Tony, to which they both chuckle at.

Next to me, Steve shifts his weight awkwardly and says, "Well… It was nice to see you, Amity. They seem a little busy, so…. I'll see you later, okay?"

"_Mmm hmm, sure, Steve." _I reply, not taking my gaze off of the two. The super soldier pauses before walking away.

I watch as Bruce finishes eating his hotdog and moves to throw away the wrapper, but Tony stops him. The genius takes the wrapper from him, rolls it into a ball, and then expertly tosses it into a trash can a few feet away. Bruce smiles and claps lightly. Then, the two stand up and start walking down the pathway, continuing to chat.

I gaze after them, my tail wagging. Just like when I began to ship John and Sherlock, I start to get a warm feeling in my chest as I watch Bruce and Tony together.

**DAWWWWWWW! More Tony and Bruce fluff in the next chapter. Meanwhile Amity will be the giddy fangirl. So, basically, they're going to help Tony get through the whole mental problem stuff he faces in Iron Man 3, except without all the other crazy stuff in that movie. **

**So, I kinda imagined the whole 'dogs in central park' thing with the cliques and everything as like a highschool for dogs. Hence, why I put in Troy and Sharpay... Sorry, I just watched HSM on Disney earlier...**

**Until next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	19. Chapter 19

***giggles* One of my favorite chapters! Much TonyXBruce fluff!**

**The title of this chapter is from (MY QUEEN!) Beyonce 'XO'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel **

Chapter Nineteen

Your Heart Is Glowing

I yawn tiredly, splayed out on a table in the lab level of the Tower. A tablet is in front of me, connected to earbuds in my floppy ears. I'm currently watching 'How I Met Your Mother' on Netflix, which, by the way, is a really great website. No commercials!

Bruce and Tony are in the lab as well, working on the renovation plan of the tower. They were working on something else earlier, but they finished that and Tony insisted on completing the plan. It's really late right now and I can tell that Bruce is getting tired. Tony always looks tired nowadays, but seems to be full of energy despite his appearance.

Turning my attention back to the show, I continue to watch sleepily, determined to finish this episode before going to bed. When Robin Scherbatsky (who looks suspiciously similar to Agent Hill) lets the gang watch a video of her singing as a young Canadian pop star, I snicker at the song that she sings. A few minutes later, the end credits start playing and I use my nose to click the pause button. Shaking out my earbuds, I stand up and arch my spine, letting out a little groan as I stretch.

Bruce glances at me and I straighten up, wagging my tail. He smiles and walks over, stroking my head gently. My fur has gotten a little longer over time, so he twirls his finger around my cowlick. I nuzzle his hand and reach up to lick his chin.

"_I'm tired, Bruce." _I mutter in his mind. I press my head against his chest and he rubs my shoulder.

"Me too." he murmurs softly before saying to Tony, "Hey, it's getting late-" he glances at his watch, "-early, actually. We can continue this later."

"Alrighty." Tony says, not taking his eyes off of a screen hanging down from the ceiling.

Bruce stares at him, and then asks, "Are you going to sleep, too? You have a meeting later."

Tony shakes his head and waves his hand, "Nah, it's fine. You guys go ahead. I'm not tired."

Bruce sighs and glances at me. I tilt my head and say to him, "_We both know that's not true." _My owner presses his lips in a thin line and slowly raises his shoulder in a half-shrug. I give him a disapproving look and jerk my head to Tony, "_Come on, Bruce. You're his friend- go talk to him." _

Bruce looks at Tony again before sighing and walking over to him. He gently pushes the screen away and asks, "Tony, why aren't you sleeping?"

Tony looks taken aback, "What do you mean? I sleep."

"No, you don't." Bruce shakes his head, "You're never the first one to call it a day, you're drinking over 5 cups of coffee every morning, you're always awake before me- Tony, if you keep this up, you're going to get really sick. It's clearly taking a toll on your body already."

Tony gazes at him, looking more tired than ever. I consider peeking into his mind to see what's really happening, but then scratch the idea. It would be better if he told us upfront, and I don't want to seem nosy. Besides, I already have a haunch on what the problem is.

Tony pauses, and then scoffs, "I don't know what you're talking about, Brucey. I sleep like a baby!"

"Then go to sleep now." Bruce says, "You've been awake longer than I have, so you _must_ be tired."

"Fine." the genius replies, but I can sense slight hesitance. Tony taps a few things on the screen, closing tabs and shutting down the power. He puts away some objects and Bruce helps him clean up. A couple of minutes later, the two walk out of the lab and I trot after them. We enter the elevator and Tony presses the buttons for his level as well as Bruce's.

When the elevator stops on our floor, which is right below Tony's, Bruce bids him goodnight and steps out. I trot past him and leap onto the bed, immediately flopping on my side and yawning. Bruce quickly changes into some pajamas and then climbs underneath the covers of the large bed. As he settles down, I crawl closer to him and curl up against his torso.

"_Do you think he'll actually try to go to sleep?" _I ask sleepily.

Bruce idly scratches my scruff as he replies, "I'm not sure. I _hope_ he will, but I can't exactly force him to sleep." he pauses, and then asks, "Did you try to read his mind? I mean, just to find out why he won't sleep?"

"_No, I didn't." _I respond, "_I don't think I should, though. I think I know what's going on, and if I'm right, then it definitely shouldn't be revealed through my telepathy. He should tell us on his own, when he's ready."_

"But when will that be?" Bruce questions, "He can't go on like this for much longer. I don't want him to get sick…"

"_Me neither." _I say, "_But… how… what could happen to him? Besides just being tired… how could he get sick from not sleeping?" _

"Sleeping helps your immune system fight off diseases." Bruce replies, "So, I'm worried that Tony's immune system is weakening due to his lack of sleep. He could catch viruses and other illnesses more easily. Also, him being sleep-deprived could put him at higher risk of getting heart disease, due to the levels of C-reactive protein increasing with sleep-loss. The protein is a marker of inflammation-"

"_Bruce," _I interrupt, "_Speak English."_

He pauses, and then continues, "His brain could be affected too. Like having trouble concentrating or staying awake, but he's drinking coffee to solve that problem. He could also have some mood changes…"

"_Oh… That's not good." _I glance at my paws, and then say, "_You seem to know a lot about this…" _

"Yeah." my owner replies, twirling his finger around my head cowlick, "I had a small case of insomnia in the early Hulk days. Before I met you, of course."

There's a moment of silence between us. Then, I say, "_Well, at least he's not dealing with it alone. We're here for him. And, I don't know about you, but I'm not going to ditch him like Pepper did."_

"No, no, of course I won't!" Bruce says instantly, "He's my friend- I would never leave him! I mean, you know, in a time of need. I mean- er- he needs us now. If we left him alone, who knows what trouble he'd get himself into!"

"_So… we're staying here for a while?" _I ask, perking up.

My owner hesitates before replying, "Well… New York's not that bad, Tony's good company… and if SHIELD can keep the military off my back, then, yeah, we can stay."

"_I'm sure SHIELD would be able to do that." _I say, "_I saw Steve at the park and he said that they're still rebuilding the Helicarrier…" _I trail off, and then add quickly, "_But that shouldn't put a hinderance in them making some sort of pact with the military to give you a break! They're a big organization, they should be able to do it." _

"Yeah…" Bruce says softly. I glance at him and see him staring off into the distance. I quickly peek into his mind and frown, finding that his thoughts are wandering around memories of Hulk. Dragging his attention away from the bad visions, I see him blink and look down at me.

"_It's going to be alright, okay?" _

He nods, his eyelids flickering a bit, and I say, "_Turn off the light. Get some sleep." _He reaches over, turns off the lamp, and then closes his eyes. His hand reaches for me and I snuggle closer to him, letting his arm droop over my shoulders.

As always, I wait for him to fall asleep first. My owner's breathing continues on normally, but doesn't melt into the pace of one that is asleep. I wait patiently for about half an hour, but he still doesn't fall into a slumber. Lifting my head, I send some soothing thoughts to his mind, not bothering to peek at what he's thinking of. It takes a bit longer than usual, but eventually his breathing slows down and he sleeps.

Sighing, I lay my head on my paws and allow myself to rest.

After what seems like ten seconds, I wake up again. For a moment, I'm confused and glance out the window for something to tell the time. The sky is still dark, so I assume that I only slept for a couple of hours.

Frowning, I turn to Bruce and notice that he's looking tense. His breathing is irregular and he's clutching the blanket tightly. Delving into his mind, I see images of Hulk roaring and smashing things. Unseen people scream and shadows run around, trying to dodge Hulk's hands as he swipes at them. Suddenly, the nightmare shifts and I see myself standing in the forest in India. I recognize the place as the clearing in which I revealed my powers to Bruce. Speaking of my owner, I spot him gagged and chained to a tree. He struggles against it, letting out muffled yells.

Hulk appears and lunges towards the other me. He raises his fists and slams them onto the dream-me, much to Bruce's dismay. As dream-me disappears, Tony takes my place and is also smashed by Hulk. The nightmare starts to shift again, but I take control and telepathically force it away.

Bruce jerks awake and I reel out of his mind. He bolts upright, breathing heavily and clutching his chest. I stand up and lick his cheek, which tastes sweaty. My owner flinches and whips his head towards me. His eyes widen briefly, and then close. He lets out a long sigh and puts his hands on my neck behind my ears, pressing his forehead to mine.

"Sorry, Amity." he whispers.

I lick his chin and reply quietly, "_It's alright, it's alright. The battle was only a week and a half ago. It's no surprise that you're still having nightmares." _

"I _shouldn't _still be having them." Bruce murmurs, scratching my scruff gently, "The Other Guy isn't as much of a threat anymore now that I've accepted him."

"_Give yourself time, Bruce." _I nuzzle his cheek comfortingly. My owner nods and licks his lips. I pull away, noticing how they're dry, and suggest, "_Why don't we go down to the lounge floor to get something to drink?" _

"Mm, sure."

I stand up, turn, and leap off of the bed. As Bruce rises as well, I bend down and stretch to wake up my muscles. Then, I pad towards the elevator with my owner following. Since the rest of the tower is silent, the ride down to the lounge seems rather loud. When the doors open, I brush Bruce's leg with my tail before leading the way out.

Immediately, I notice that a light is on in the kitchen area. Halting, I prick my ears and hear the sound of someone rummaging through the cabinets. Next to me, Bruce frowns and calls out, "Tony?"

The rummaging stops, filling the air with silence. Moments later, Tony's face pops out from behind the wall, gazing at us. He smiles a little and says, "Hey, guys. Want a drink?" His voice sounds slightly slurred and his hair is sticking up in odd angles.

Bruce gives him a disapproving look and walks towards him. Tony disappears back into the kitchen as my owner scolds gently, "Why are you still awake? You said you would go to sleep!"

As I walk into the kitchen, I spot a bottle of liquor on the counter. Tony takes out two glasses and pours the liquor into them. I notice that his hands are a little clumsy and infer that this isn't his first glass.

"Ahh, I _did _sleep." Tony says, "For, like, an hour."

"Why didn't you sleep longer?" Bruce asks.

Tony waves his hand and scoffs, "Does it matter? Come on, Brucie, drink with me." He shoves a glass of liquor into my owner's hands while he takes the other glass and exits the kitchen. Bruce glances at me before following him.

Except for the kitchen, all of the lights are off, so the lounge is pretty dark. Despite this, Tony strides confidently towards a shadowy figure, which I assume is a couch. He flops down onto it and takes a sip of his drink.

Bruce sits down next to him and takes his glass away, putting both of theirs onto the nearby coffee table. I notice a blue light illuminating Bruce's face and tilt my head. Padding closer, I leap onto the couch next to Bruce and peer at Tony. The faint blue glow of the arc reactor shining through Tony's shirt is providing a bit of light. His shirt is blocking my complete view of it, but the light can easily shine through the thin fabric. I feel a tug of curiosity and wonder what it would look like without anything blocking it.

Bruce turns towards him, his gaze lingering on the arc reactor's glow. I don't have to read his mind to know that he's thinking of the same thing.

Tearing his gaze away from it, my owner looks up at Tony and asks, "Why did you wake up, Tony?"

The genius waves a hand and replies, "I dunno. Guess I wasn't as tired as I thought-"

"_Tony_." Bruce stresses, "I know you're lying. _Please_, just tell me the truth. I can help you, but only if you let me. Now I'm going to ask once more: Why haven't you been sleeping?" Tony shrugs and reaches for his drink, but Bruce stops him by grabbing his wrist. Turning him so the genius will look at him, he says gently, "Please, Tony."

For what feels like forever, they both stare at each other. The arc reactor seems to glow a bit brighter and illuminates their faces as they gaze into each other's eyes. It might've been because of the drinks, or the solemn mood, or simply out of pure exhaustion, but _finally _Tony gives in.

With a huge sigh, he leans back and slumps into the couch. Bringing up his hands, he rubs his face and groans. "Ughhh, I can't do this anymore." he moans, his eyes hidden behind the palms of his hands, "I just- I'm done- I _can't_…. I give up." Sighing again, Tony turns to Bruce and continues, "Alright, alright, I'll tell you. But you better not laugh!"

"I won't" Bruce promises.

I begin to get the feeling that they forgot I'm here.

"Okay…" Tony hesitates, and then begins to explain, "Ever since the battle, I've been getting these… nightmares. Like, _really_ bad ones. I always remember going into the portal, but a lot of times, in the nightmares, I don't come back out. I get stuck there, with the Chitauri ship blowing up, knowing there's no way I can get back to you guys. I end up just… lost. With my last words being "save the rest for the turn, J"." He pauses before adding, "On the way up there, I called Pepper, but she never answered. I'm kinda glad she didn't, though… I wouldn't have known what to say…" he glances at Bruce and mutters, "It's stupid, I know. Sorry if I woke you up, I'll just-"

"I get them too." Bruce interrupts, "The nightmares. Not about going into the portal, of course, but about losing control of the Other Guy and hurting the people I care about."

Tony nods and looks away, gazing into the darkness. After a few moments of silence, he leans forwards and grabs the glasses of liquor. He wordlessly offers one to Bruce, who smiles slightly and takes it. They both sip their drinks quietly, listening to the soft hums of electricity throughout the tower. I watch them quietly with my head on my paws.

"Man," Tony says after a while, "Being totally awesome is hard. I mean, sure, it has many perks, but the few disadvantages really suck."

"Yeah." Bruce agrees with a slight laugh.

Tony sighs, "Well, I guess being a superhero can't be all sunshine and rainbows. There just _haaas _to be a stormcloud. Of death. And nightmares."

"Yeah, sadly there's no weather forecast for _that_." Bruce adds and Tony laughs.

There's a moment of silence, and then Tony asks, "Would you still have done it? I mean, the superhero thing. If you knew?"

Bruce glances at him and points out, "Well, Tony, I mean, it's not like I had a _choice_-"

"I know." he interrupts, "But if you _did _have a choice and you know what would come with your powers…."

My owner hesitates and looks at his glass. "That's kind of a strange question to ask, but…" he admits, "... I don't think I would. A normal life would be much better for me. I could fall in love, have a family, not have to worry about the military or alien invasions..."

"Hmm." Tony glances at him and shrugs, "_I _still would've chosen this life." At Bruce's surprised look, he continues, "Come on, Brucie, I get to save people, I discovered a clean energy, I met and teamed up with a bunch of superheroes, and, hey, I gotta admit that the publicity can be fun sometimes. So if I have to put up with some sleepless nights, well then, so be it." He takes a long sip of his drink before gesturing to his chest, "Even this little thing isn't so bad. Serves as a good nightlight."

Bruce lets out an amused hum and glances down at the arc reactor. When he doesn't look away after a while, Tony follows his gaze and smirks, "Do you wanna see it?"

Bruce blinks and stammers, "Oh, uh, you don't - I mean - er…" Before he can finish his sentence, Tony sits up and lifts his shirt. Immediately, the blue glow of his arc reactor becomes brighter and almost blinding. I squint my eyes, which are now accustomed to the dark. Gradually, they get used to the new brightness and then widen in wonder.

The arc reactor shines brilliantly, its blue glow lighting up the area around it. Both Tony and Bruce become illuminated in its light. I can see that it's not entirely blue and circular; there's darker areas that shape the blue into a triangle outlined by little bars. Overall, it's truly beautiful.

My owner seems to think so, too, because he's staring at it with wide eyes. Since he doesn't have his glasses, he has to lean closer to see it better. Tony doesn't seem to mind and instead watches him with a smirk. When Bruce slowly reaches towards it with his hand, but then hesitates, the genius says, "Go ahead, it's fine."

Still hesitant, Bruce softly runs his fingers along the edge of the triangle. Not taking his eyes off of it, he breathes, "This is… amazing. It's beautiful."

"Thanks, big guy." Tony chuckles, "It's been both a blessing and a curse." Bruce tears his gaze away from the arc reactor to look up at him. The genius continues, "This little circle of light keeps the shrapnel away from my heart. Without it, I'd be dead."

"And… how is it a curse?" Bruce asks.

"Well, if I'm ever in a horror movie and I'm trying to hide with the killer in the room and he decides to turn off the lights…" Tony glances at the glowing arc reactor and then at Bruce, "Heh, then I'm totally screwed."

Bruce grins and Tony grins back. Soon, they're both chuckling, which then turns into laughing. I wag my tail, feeling my heart swell in happiness at the scene before me.

As they calm down and continue talking, I feel my inner Sherlock start to kick in and I begin to notice little details in the way they interact with each other. Bruce's pupils are dilated and so are Tony's. Since the arc reactor is still shining brightly, I know the dilation has nothing to do with the darkness. I also note how close the two are sitting together; Bruce has one leg hanging off the couch while the other is tucked underneath him, his knee brushing Tony's Indian Style lap. His right arm is on top of the couch pillow and he uses his left hand to inspect the arc reactor. Tony is using his hands to lift up his shirt while he tells Bruce about the reactor's energy and other scientific stuff. The two are talking and laughing as if they've known each other their whole lives.

I sigh happily and quietly stand up. Turning my back to them and the arc reactor's glow, I lay back down and rest my head in between my paws. They can't possibly get into too much trouble, so…

Yawning, I close my eyes and return to sleep.

* * *

Bright light shines through my eyelids and I open my eyes. Immediately, I groan and close them, trying not to get blinded by the morning sun. Ever so slowly, I open them again and squint until I get used to the light.

Glancing around, I briefly become confused as to why I'm in the lounge before remembering the events of early this morning. Grunting, I stand up and stretch, arching my spine until I hear my joints crack. Then, I turn around- and freeze at the scene before me.

First of all, Tony is completely splayed out on the couch, his upper body just barely propped up on the pillow while the rest of him is off the couch. His head is hanging off the other side of the pillow, facing towards the ceiling with his mouth open and is snoring gently. Meanwhile, Bruce is leaning against him, his whole body on the couch. His head is resting on Tony's shoulder while the rest of the genius's arm dangles over my owner's chest. Bruce's arms are tucked neatly across his abdomen and his legs are bent.

I can't help but let out a soft 'aww' at the sight.

For a moment, I just gaze at the two, wondering what to do. Thankfully, Jarvis takes care of that for me. The AI's voice pierces the silence, calling out loudly, "_**Sir, just another reminder about your meeting with Mr. Chu. It commences in 15 minutes and takes place in Levittown." **_

My eyes widen. Tony's meeting! He's going to be late!

Thinking quickly, I lift up a throw pillow with my telekinesis and smack it into his face. He snorts, slowly waking up, and lifts his head. Squinting, he focuses his bleary gaze on me, and then on Bruce. I think I see his lip twitch upwards, but then he suddenly straightens and exclaims, "The meeting!"

"_Get up, Tony!" _I say as Bruce jerks awake. My owner glances at Tony and immediately pushes himself away. Tony gets up and races towards the elevator.

"Sorry, Bruce, gotta go!" he explains quickly, "Important meeting and I'm about to be late! You guys can do whatever you want while I'm gone and, uh, thanks for last night- I slept well." The elevator door opens and he dashes inside, pressing a button, "Later guys!" The doors close and I stare at them for a few moments.

Then, I turn to Bruce and ask, "_Alright, what'd I miss?" _

My owner gives me a sheepish smile and begins to explain.

**... **

**LET'S MARVIN GAYE AND GET IT ON! **

**Haha, jk, jk... ya**

**Anyway, I have a big favor to ask of my artists out there! If any of you could draw the scene with Tony and Bruce talking in the dark and the arc reactor glowing, I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER! Also, if you posted it on deviantart, I would give it and you a shoutout in a journal entry.**

**K, thaaaaaanks! **

**Until next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	20. Chapter 20

**Heeeeeeey, I'm back with a new chapter! I'm sitting on a bed with my cousin Yoli and we're just chilling and I'm showing her fanfiction**

**Yoli: Hi everybody! This is the best story ever!**

**The title of this chapter is from Lorde 'Royals' **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Twenty

No Postcard Envy

While Tony is gone, Bruce and I decide to go to the park again. So, after breakfast- more like lunch due to our late start- we go down to the basement to borrow one of Tony's cars. Bruce seems a little overwhelmed at the large variety of cars and then chooses the least expensive-looking one.

He asks Jarvis where the keys are and, while the AI replies, I clamber over the side and plop down in one of the front seats. Having found the keys, Bruce climbs into the driver's seat and cautiously starts the car. For a few moments, he tries to accommodate himself with the different controls before slowly driving forward.

Due to his hesitance and wariness, the trip to Central Park takes longer than it did last time. However, we eventually reach our destination and enter the park.

"_So… what do you want to do?" _I ask, not wanting to leave him to wander the park alone.

Bruce shrugs and says, "I dunno, I'll find some entertainment. You can go off and find those friends you told me about last time."

"_Are you sure?" _I ask, "_You don't mind?" _

My owner shakes his head and waves a hand, "No, no, it's fine, really. Go have fun! Actually, I think I hear an outdoor concert going on in the field."

I prick my ears, picking up the faint sound of music playing. "_Okay…" _I say reluctantly. Bruce scratches my head before walking away. I gaze after him until he disappears from my view. Then, I turn around and leap off of the walkway, bounding up the grassy hill in excitement.

Coming to a stop at the top of the hill, I glance around in search for a familiar face. Hopefully Maximus and Holly are here today. As I continue to look for them, though, I become a bit disappointed when I don't see them.

After a few moments, I give up and sigh. Well, I can't expect them to be here all the time.

I pause, wondering where to go, and then settle on walking along the top of the hill. It leads to a small cluster of trees that seems slightly familiar. When I climb up a small slope and reach an area shaded by maple trees, I realize that this is where the Chilli Dogs usually hang out.

Lo and behold, a few meters into the woods, I spot the lazy group of dogs splayed out amongst the roots of trees. Most of them are asleep, but an old, graying dog is awake. He lifts his head when he sees me and barks lowly, "Hello, youngster. Care to join us?"

I shake my head and reply, "No thank you. I'm not very tired."

"I thought so." he says, nodding, "You're still young and full of life. Go and use your energy to have fun."

"Yes sir." I dip my head respectfully and turn away, "Have a good day." The old dog simply grunts in response and I quickly dash away.

I don't realize that I'm heading towards the field until I begin to skid down the hill. Slowing my pace, I trot calmly out of the trees and stand on the edge of the large expanse of grass. The field is full of people and dogs, just like last time. The Fitness Freaks are running around and jumping in the air, doing whatever exercise it is their owners are making them do. The Drama Geeks aren't too far away, yapping and giggling like idiots at the sight of the attractive Fitness Freaks.

Besides them, however, there are other normal-looking dogs. They're just laying down with their owners on brightly colored blankets at the corner of the field. Pricking my ears, I hear music coming from over there and then notice a smaller group of people standing up with strange boxes and poles near them. Ahh, this must be the concert Bruce was talking about.

Looking around, I try to spot my owner, to no avail. I can feel the telepathic pull of our bond tugging me towards that area, so he must be there somewhere. Shrugging, I turn and walk along the edge of the field. When I reach the other end where the trees are more thick, I pause before entering the forest. Once inside, I let out a sigh of content.

I remember this part of the forest from the last time I was here. In the tree branches above, birds flutter and chirp happily. Small animals moving around make the sparse undergrowth rustle and I take a deep sniff, smelling the scent of squirrel. The sound of scuttling above me reaches my ears and I glance up, seeing said squirrel climbing up a tree. The rodent pauses and looks down at me, meeting my gaze.

I wag my tail and say, "Hello there."

The squirrel replies by turning around and scampering away, quickly disappearing amongst the leaves. Rolling my eyes, I continue walking through the forest.

After a few minutes of wandering, I come across a medium-sized lake with smooth boulders dotted here and there. Pausing at the treeline, I prick my ears and hear a commotion coming from farther down the shore. Glancing over, I spot five large male dogs gathered at the edge of the water. I watch as a slick black dog raises his leg and… pees into the lake.

I wrinkle my nose in disgust as the group of dogs bursts out laughing. Soon, the other four dogs contribute into urinating into the water. Scoffing, I'm about to turn around when the black dog that started it all spots me. "Hey, you!" he barks, making the others turn their attention to me. The five dogs dash over to me and I suppress a groan of annoyance.

When they reach me, the black dog tilts his head and lets his tongue loll. Drool drips from his mouth and I grimace. _How attractive_.

"Hey there, lady." he drawls, "I'm Sarge. These are my boys; Moose," he points with his nose towards a large, slim brown dog, "Dodge." a stocky, black-and-white dog, "Duke." a long-haired tan dog, "And Hank." a small, lanky, gray-and-white mottled dog.

Turning back to me, Sarge asks pretentiously, "What's your name, toots?"

I shift my weight awkwardly, trying not to show that I'm intimidated by these dogs. All of them, spare Hank, are all much bigger than me. Even Hank is only slightly shorter than me. And I don't like the mischievous gleam they all have in their eyes. Straightening up, I answer boldly, "Amity."

"Amity!"

I jump in surprise as the other dogs glance around. None of them had said that. The voice sounded strangely familiar, though.

Turning around, I spot a dog dashing down the shore towards us. Immediately, I recognize him as Caspian, the dog that I met last time. The one with a huge crush on me. Honestly, I don't care about that little detail right now. I'm just glad that _somebody _is here to save me from these dogs.

"Amity." Caspian pants as he approaches us, "What are you doing with _them_?"

Before I can reply, Sarge snarls, "Back off, mutt. We were just going to have some _fun_." At the word 'fun', he glances at me and his eyes light up with a wicked gleam. My eyes widen, and then narrow with a growl.

No.

_Absolutely not! _

"No, we were _not_!" I snap, taking Sarge by surprise, "I was just leaving." Pushing past Dodge, I walk over to Caspian and say, "Come on, let's get back to the field."

I hear grumbling behind me, but ignore it and continue walking until I'm deep into the forest again. Caspian follows me and says, "You've gotta be careful around those guys. They're delinquents."

I jerk my head, remembering what Holly had said about them, and exclaim, "Oh! That's right! Why didn't I realize that sooner?"

"It's okay." Caspian says, trotting by my side, "You're still new here."

I give him a look and say bluntly, "They _peed in the lake_."

His gaze drops and he says, "Oh… Well, that doesn't matter now. How have you been?"

I shrug, "Besides creepy dogs flirting with me, I'm pretty good. My owner is hanging out at the concert in the field, so I'm gonna head there." After a moment, I add, "Do you want to come?"

Caspian perks up, "Yeah, sure! What's your owner's name? I only met that other person last time- what was his name? Oh, right! Steve. I only met him, not your owner."

"Steve's a nice guy." I say as we walk side-by-side, making our way out of the forest, "He has a good scent."

Caspian nods, "Yeah, like honeysuckle and wet pavement on a hot day."

"I know, right?" I giggle, and then mentally pause. Did I just giggle? I… I don't think I've ever done that before.

Blushing underneath my fur, I answer his question, "My owner's name is Bruce Banner. We both live with a man named Tony Stark in the Tower." I nod up at the Tower, clearly visible amongst the other buildings despite the distance.

Caspian's eyes widen a bit, "Tony Stark? My owners talk about him sometimes- he's famous, apparently. Wasn't he, uh, Iron Man in the battle?"

I nod and reply, "Yeah, he was. He's pretty cool- kind of vain- but nice nevertheless. At least, he's nice to Bruce and I." As I say this, we break out of the treeline and start down into the field. The concert is on the other side, so we have to get past the Fitness Freaks first.

I start to walk along the edge of the field, but Caspian strides confidently right towards the fray. I pause, and then trot after him. The Fitness Freaks run and jump around, but Caspian knows right where to go to avoid us getting hit. One big black dog leaps for a frisbee and lands too close to me for comfort and I flinch. As he runs away, Caspian asks, "Are you okay?"

I give myself a shake, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Soon enough, we exit the Fitness Freak area and come across humans lying on blankets either alone, with their dogs, or another human. The music has grown louder and I see the band playing. Although I don't recognize it, I enjoy the music as we walk into the area.

Feeling for the pull of our mental bond, I let it lead me until I spot Bruce at the edge of the crowd. Flicking Caspian with my tail, I turn and walk over to him. He's talking to someone and, as I get closer, I see that it's Steve. What a coincidence!

"That's my owner." I say to Caspian, nodding at Bruce, "And you've met Steve before."

"Yeah, I remember him." the other dog wags his tail, "Your owner looks nice."

"He is." I reply, leading him over to the two.

Bruce notices me approaching and smiles. His eyes widen slightly when he sees Caspian following close behind, but then Steve says, "Oh, I remember you!" He lets Caspian sniff his hand before petting him.

"_Hi, Bruce!" _I nudge his leg, "_This is Caspian, the dog I told you about last time."_

"Ah, Caspian." Bruce nods, reaching forward and patting said dog.

Caspian frowns and glances at me, "How'd he know my name?"

I freeze, realizing that there's no way I could have told Bruce and Steve his name without using my powers- and Caspian can _not _learn about my powers. Trying to look normal, I shrug and reply, "Maybe he read your collar? He has good eyesight." It's a bad lie, especially because his tags are burrowed beneath his thick fur, but he takes the response and licks Bruce's hand.

Phew! That was close!

* * *

Turns out, Steve had invited Bruce and I to his apartment. He said he needed my help with something and that afterwards we could do something. I assumed that he simply needed help moving something that was too heavy and wants me to use my telekinesis. However, I don't mind using my powers to help people- especially Steve- so I bid goodbye to Caspian and climb into the car.

Steve is taking his motorcycle, so I can still sit in the front next to Bruce as he gets into the driver's seat. As he turns on the car and starts driving, my owner asks, "So… What's the deal with Caspian?"

I roll my eyes and mutter, "_Not you too…" _

"I'm just asking!" he defends himself, laughing a bit, "I mean, you two seemed really friendly towards each other."

"_We're just friends!" _I huff, "_Besides, you've got your own relationship problems to deal with." _

Bruce casts me a glance, "What? I don't have relationship problems. Wait, is this because we aren't spending as much time together anymore? Amity-"

"_No, not with me!" _I groan, but my tail wags slightly, "_I mean with Tony!"_

"What? There's nothing wro…" my owner mumbles, suddenly fascinated with the road, "I… we're not in a relationship, if that's what you think…"

I give him a 'seriously?' look and question, "_Early this morning? What were you two doing?"_

"Talking on the couch." he replies, a firm tone in his voice.

"_And how did I find you two when I woke up?" _

He slows the car down at a red light before mumbling, "Uh, asleep on the couch."

"_Asleep on the couch, _together_." _I correct, "_Both curled up and snuggling. And when Tony woke up- I don't think I've ever seen him so rested and alert!" _

"Ahhh…" Bruce stammers, "Well… er, um, I mean…."

I tilt my head and give him a smug look, "_Adorable." _

For the rest of the ride, we don't talk and just listen to music. Bruce follows Steve's motorcycle as he leads us towards the edge of the city. Frowning, I glance around at the neighborhood around us. It's rather run-down and the people hanging around here don't look very nice. Bruce seems to notice too and murmurs, "Uh… are we in the right place..?"

"_I hope not!" _I say, wrinkling my nose at a sour scent. We continue to follow Steve through the dingy neighborhood. Soon, he comes to a stop in front of a shabby apartment building. Bruce parks behind him and I jump out of the car.

Steve waves us over to him and says, "My apartment is on the second floor. Come on in; the doorman is nice."

As he leads us into the crumbling building, Bruce and I exchange a look. He has a confused expression while I simply arch an eye. We walk in after Steve, who gives the doorman a friendly smile and greets him. Then, he clicks the button on the wall next to the elevator.

I frown at the rusty doors, perking my ears at the sound of gears grinding in the shaft. When the elevator doesn't come after a few moments, Steve presses the button again. Not eager to step into that deathtrap, I shift my paws uncomfortably and suggest, "_Why don't we take the stairs? It's only one floor up." _

"Good idea!" Bruce immediately agrees.

The stairs, although tattered and gritty, turn out to be much safer than the elevator probably was. When we reach the second floor, I instantly start wiping my paws on the carpeting, trying to get rid of the stair-slime.

"Here we are." Steve says, gesturing to a door. Once he unlocks it, he gestures for us to go inside, "Welcome to my apartment… which is still in progress." he adds the last part quickly.

I pad inside and wrinkle my muzzle in disgust. Everything in here is dirty and tattered. The entire apartment is pretty much one room with a couch-bed in one corner, a desk in another, a mini kitchen, and a small door leading into a bathroom. The carpeting is lined with dirt and is stained in multiple places. The whole room smells musky, but I also notice another strange scent beneath it all.

"It's not much." Steve says to Bruce, "But, like I said, it's still in progress."

"Right." My owner mutters, eyeing the apartment skeptically, "So… what did you need help with?"

"Ah, right, about that." Steve rubs the back of his neck, "I actually kind of needed Amity's help." I turn towards him and he continues, "I sort of have a… rodent problem. It's just a couple of mice, though. I figured, since you're a dog, you could catch them for me before… ya know… there's more than two mice. I _would _call an exterminator, but money's a little tight right now and I figured that-"

"_It's fine, Steve." _I interrupt, reassuring him, "_Where did you last see them?" _

The super soldier points towards the bathroom and I walk over to it. Peering into the small room, I telekinetically flick on the light switch and immediately spot a mouse in the corner next to the shower. It jumps at the sudden light, but continues doing whatever it was doing. Instinct takes over and I crouch down, slowly and silently stalking towards it. Since its back is turned on me, it can't see my approach.

Once I'm close enough, I race forward and slam my paws onto it. The mouse squeaks under my paws and I feel my heart lurch. "_Oh, you poor thing!" _I yelp, stumbling back and falling onto my rump. The mouse leaps up and scrambles away, disappearing underneath the sink cabinet.

Behind me, I hear Bruce chuckle, "Figures. She's too nice to harm anything- even something as expendable as a mouse."

"_Sorry." _I apologize, turning back to them, "_It freaked me out when it squeaked." _

"It's okay." Steve says, scratching my head, "I can just set out some traps."

Bruce takes a step back and pokes a nasty-looking thing on the wall, "Hey, Steve, no offense, but should SHIELD be able to afford a place less… gross?"

The super soldier sighs and replies, "They did at first, but then the battle happened and my other apartment got destroyed. So, they relocated me to here. I didn't want them spending too much money on me and they're already so busy with cleaning up the city and fixing the Helicarrier, so… I'm assuming they're dealing with enough expenses."

"_Right, but..." _I say, glancing around at the dingy apartment, "_Here? Seriously? You can't live in a place like this, Steve. It can't be healthy at all- or comfortable." _

"It's probably only temporary." he tries to reassure.

"Still, though." Bruce adds. I glance at him and then get an idea. "_Hey!" _I exclaim, "_Why don't you stay in Stark Tower with us?" _

Steve looks surprised, "Oh! Really? Are you sure? I mean, will Stark mind?"

"_Of course not!" _I say, padding over to him while Bruce gives an uncertain, "Uhhh…" I ignore him and continue, "_He invited Bruce and I to stay with him, so why not you? There's plenty of space in the Tower! And, besides," _I rear up on my hind legs and put my forepaws on his belly, "_I need company when they're doing science. Netflix can get boring sometimes." _

"Netflix?" the super soldier questions while scratching my head lightly. I stretch my neck to get closer and reply, "_It's some technology thing that plays TV shows." _

"Ah." he nods, then turns to Bruce, "So… uh… is it alright if I…?"

Bruce nods swiftly and says, "Oh, yeah, I'm sure it's fine. Like Amity said, we- there's a lot of space in the Tower, so I'm sure we could find a room for you to stay in. And Amity _does _get lonely sometimes." He gives me a pointed look and I drop back down onto all four paws, "Tony should be okay with it, but I should still probably give him a call beforehand so-"

He's interrupted by the sound of clanging metal erupting from the kitchen. We all look over and hear the squeaking of mice coming from the cabinets underneath the counter… which is also where the clanging metal sound came from.

There's a moment of silence. Then, Bruce turns back to Steve, "Or now. We could leave now. Do you need help packing?"

**Can't stay to chat, I gotta eat pancakes now**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	21. Chapter 21

**Phew, I almost forgot to update today!**

**Ugh, this is short, I'm sorry. You'll kind of see where the story is going by the end of the chapter. **

**The title of this chapter is from Train 'Bruises'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Twenty-One

You'll Never Guess Who I Saw

"_Why don't you ask for a job at SHIELD?" _I ask, looking up at Steve.

I'm currently on my back, my head resting on his lap as we hang out in closed off area of the top floor/balcony. The room took the most damage during the battle, but it's currently under reconstruction. Bruce and Tony are in the lab again, working on some science thing probably. Steve has been here for a couple of days already and has proved to be great company. Tony was surprised and a little reluctant of him at first, but quickly got used to having the super soldier around.

He and I have become good friends. Yesterday, we went to the park again and saw Caspian (again. Is he always there? Not that I mind, of course. He's a great dog…) and then walked around the city. He even bought me a hot dog from a hot dog vendor. At first, I was confused, but then he explained that it wasn't actually made of dogs. I was hesitant at first, but it smelled so good that I had to try it. And lets just say it's my favorite food now. Unfortunately, when Bruce found out, he told me that they are unhealthy and that I shouldn't have them too often.

Whenever we're at the Tower and Bruce and Tony are doing science stuff, Steve and I focus on getting the super solider acclimated to the 21st century. I introduced him to Sherlock (we watched all three seasons in one day. By the end of it my head was aching) and now we're in the middle of watching the first season of How I Met Your Mother. Steve agrees that Netflix is the greatest thing this modern era has to offer.

Steve glances down at me in surprise at my suggestion. I give him a dog-smile, but due to my position, my tongue falls and dangles out the side of my mouth. He grins and softly bats one of my paws, which are hanging in the air.

I snuffle and say, "_I'm serious! It's a way to get money and they probably need all the help they can get right now."_

"Ehh… I dunno, Amity." Steve shrugs, "I don't think I'm really agent material. And have you seen me around computers?"

"_Not _those _kind of agents!" _I say, nudging his abdomen with my muzzle, "_Not the ones that we saw with the computers in the Helicarrier. I meant, like, field agents. Or maybe you could just go in for the really important missions and then spend the rest of your time here." _

Steve has a thoughtful look, but says, "_IIII_ don't think that's a real job."

"_Ask." _I yawn and stretch, arching my spine so that the back of my head is digging into his lap, "_C'mon, Steve. You've got nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Director Fury will most likely say yes- he'll probably see it as a better opportunity to keep an eye on his favorite super soldier."_

He glances up, clearly pondering about it. I watch him eagerly, my eyes sparkling. Finally, he seems to make up his mind, but before he can say anything the elevator dings and Tony and Bruce enter. I immediately flip onto my belly and scramble to my paws, accidentally stepping on Steve's crotch and making him grunt in pain.

"_Bruuuuccee!" _I exclaim, trotting over to him as he walks in.

Tony frowns as he puts something on the table, "And me! Why do you only get excited about him? Am I not interesting?"

"_You are interesting_." I say, nudging his leg fondly. Then, I rear up on my hind legs and put my paws on the table, "_What's this?" _

Tony rolls out a large, thick paper that has a bunch of drawings and writing on it. He taps it and raises his hand. To my surprise, a projection follows his hand and shows an improved version of the Tower.

"We finished the blueprints for the improvement plan." Bruce says, standing beside Tony as they observe it.

Steve comes over and looks at the model, "That's amazing!"

"Thanks, Capsicle." Tony replies, knowing that the nickname irks the super soldier, "All with the power that is science. I'll send this to the builders. Anyway, what have you two been doing?"

"_I told Steve that he should ask for a job as a SHIELD agent." _I say.

Bruce looks at Steve in surprise, but the super soldier shrugs, "I'm not really sure."

"That's a terrible idea." Tony says bluntly.

"Actually, I think I'll do it." Steve instantly changes his mind, perking up. Tony rolls his eyes while Bruce and I laugh.

"_How are you going to contact them?" _I ask, looking up at him.

Steve takes out his phone and replies, "Natasha said she put SHIELD's number in here, but..."

"Let me guess- you don't know how to find it." Tony drawls. Steve scowls at him, but says nothing. The genius smirks and takes the phone out of his hands. 10 seconds later, he gives the phone back to Steve and says, "It's ringing."

"Thanks." Steve raises the phone to his ear and walks away.

Once he's gone, I turn to the two and ask, "_So now what? Can we go somewhere? I'm bored." _

"What do you want to do?" Bruce asks.

I shrug and bend down, stretching, "_I don't know, somewhere new. Central Park is fun and all, but it gets a little boring after a while. Besides, I'm hungry. Let's go out for lunch. Like, at a real restaurant, not street food. Where haven't we been?"_

"Oh, so many places." Tony says, "You've barely scraped the surface, my friends. Hmm… where to go for lunch…" he looks up, humming in thought, "Ooh! 'Bill's Bar and Burger' is a good restaurant! And it's near the Rockefeller Center- you guys haven't been there yet, right?" Bruce shakes his head and Tony claps, "Awesome! You wanna head on out now, 'cause I'm kind of hungry too?"

"Yeah, sure." Bruce says, turning and tapping the paper that is projecting the plans for the Tower so that the illustration collapses. Tony leads the way to the elevator, but I hesitate.

"_Shouldn't we wait for Steve?" _I point out. Tony falters a step and makes an uncertain sound in his throat. I frown and say firmly, "_We're waiting for Steve." _

The genius sighs in annoyance, "Fiiiine." He turns and walks towards the slightly damaged open bar on the other side of the room. Grabbing a bottle of liquor, he says, "I'm gonna have a drink before we go. Want some, Brucie?"

"No, I don't." Bruce says sternly, walking over to him, "And no, you _won't_." Snatching the bottle and the glass out of his hands, my owner quickly puts them away while Tony pouts. "I'm not letting you drink alcohol before we eat lunch. _And _before we get into a car."

"You're no fun." Tony sneers sarcastically. However, he doesn't try to disobey Bruce and instead leans against the counter, drumming his fingers impatiently. "How long does it take to ask for a job?" He complains two seconds later.

Bruce sighs, but maintains his patience, "He's barely been gone for five minutes. Give him time."

I sit down, shifting uncomfortably due to an itch in my back. Getting an idea, I pad over to Tony and say, "_If you have nothing better to do, then pet me." _I rub my neck against his legs, wanting attention. Tony gives me a half smile and kneels down, running his hand down my back. I sigh in satisfaction as my itch is itched and sit down.

Tony pauses in his petting and looks down at his fingers, which are entangled in my pelt. "Your fur is getting long." He states bluntly, then sniffs, "And you need a bath."

"_I asked you to pet me, not insult me." _

"Potato, potatoh." he snorts and I frown in confusion, "_What?" _Tony shakes his head, muttering a 'nevermind', and starts playing with the tags on my collar. Bruce comes over and begins to pet me as well. I let my tongue loll out and roll onto my back so that they're both petting my belly. Which, by the way, is the best feeling ever. Everybody needs to get their belly petted before they die because if not then they haven't lived.

"_Oh, yeah! Feelin' the love right now, guys." _I say and they both laugh. Tony gently grabs my paw and raises it in the air, stretching my leg out. I grunt and pull it back, "_No." _Seeing that this bothers me, the genius does it again. I wrinkle my muzzle and pull my paw back, saying for firmly, "_No." _Of course, he does it again. And again. And again.

And does Bruce help me? No. He just watches us with an amused expression, making no move to stop Tony. Jeez, talk about loyal. Sure, he loves him, but that doesn't give him the excuse to betray me. _Me! _

I let out a snort of annoyance and scramble to my paws, padding away. I half expect them to follow me, but when I glance over my shoulder, I see the two of them just smiling and gazing after me.

I feel my heart soften despite my annoyance. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh.

Just then, Steve walks back in as he pockets his phone. I perk up at the sight of him and ask, "_How'd it go?"_

He walks a few more paces before pausing. I notice how he's a little hesitant. "They were actually really eager to hire me." Steve replies, "Apparently they're having a big problem with some rival organization in Europe. They said they were going to assign me to the mission once I've done some necessary training and drilling, which I'll do tomorrow."

"_Oh, really? So soon!" _I comment, "_That's great! I'm sure you can complete it pretty quickly. You are a super soldier, after all."_

"That's what they're counting on." He says, sounding somewhat hesitant, "And if the preparations all go well... then I'll be leaving for the mission this week." He says the last part really quickly.

My eyes widen and Bruce exclaims, "This seems to be moving a bit quickly, don't you think?"

"How long will you be gone?" Tony asks and I'm surprised at the genuine concern in his voice.

"Uhh… I'm not exactly sure. They didn't go into too much detail, probably because it's over the phone. But they really need exclusive help, so that's why they're calling me in so soon."

Tony pushes himself up off of the floor and then offers a hand down to Bruce. "If they need exclusive help, then why don't they get Barton or Romanoff?" he says as he pulls my owner up.

Steve shrugs and replies, "Like I said, they didn't go much into detail. I think it was hinted that Natasha is on another mission, but they didn't say anything about Barton."

There's a moment of brief silence. I pad over to Steve and brush against him. "_I'll miss you while you're gone." _I say, looking up at him.

He smiles and bends down to scratch my head. "Well, I'm not leaving _yet," _he says, "We still have the rest of the day."

I wag my tail as Tony says, "We were about to go 'Bill's Bar and Burger' for lunch."

"Do you want to come?" Bruce asks immediately in case Tony decided to say something rude afterward.

Steve nods and says, "Yeah, sure. Thanks."

* * *

Rockefeller Center is very… lively, to say the least. People are walking everywhere, crisscrossing paths and yet somehow rarely bumping into each other. There's a lot of colorful things and places all around, as well as people playing music on the streets as we pass by. I catch a glimpse of a large expanse of some white stuff with people sliding across it, which Bruce calls an 'ice rink' and the white stuff is ice. I mention that the ice that I see in Tony's drinks sometimes aren't white and he says that this ice is different. I simply roll my eyes and continue walking.

When we reach 'Bill's Bar and Burger', we take a seat outside and the three men order their meals. Tony promises to sneak me some food, but Bruce frowns and says that burgers are unhealthy for dogs and he doesn't want me eating them. When my owner isn't looking, Tony winks at me and I wag my tail.

So now, here I am, sitting underneath the table while Tony subtly slips me some food. The three men chat idly about various things like SHIELD, Tower renovations and things they could add, other things to do in New York, etc. Tony starts really getting into the conversation and forgets to sneak me food. I frown and poke his leg with my nose. He flinches, but a few moments later his hand appears with a french fry in it.

I take it delicately between my teeth and gobble it up. As I chew, I glance at the people passing by on my left side. There's a short fence separating the public from the outside area of the restaurant, but I can still see through it.

Suddenly, I notice a familiar face in the crowd and stand up. Walking out from underneath the table, I rear up on my hind legs and put my forepaws on the fence so that I can get a better view.

"Amity?" Bruce asks from behind me, "What are you doing?"

I narrow my eyes as the person comes closer. It… it looks like-

"_Clint!" _I exclaim, "_Guys, it's Clint!" _

"Barton?" Tony questions, but I ignore him and scramble over the fence, "Hey, Amity, wait!"

Clint has already passed by and is walking down the street. I trot after him, but slow down when I notice his behavior. He's glaring at the ground and muttering inaudibly, his jaw clenched and his eyebrows knitted. The archer almost bumps into a man carrying flowers and I decide to catch up to him.

"_Clint!"_ I call out, dashing to his side.

He uncharacteristically flinches and looks down at me. At first, it seems like he doesn't recognize me, but then his eyes lighten and he says, "Oh, uh, Amity, right?"

I wag my tail and let my tongue loll out, "_Yeah! How are you doing? Why are you here- shouldn't you be at SHIELD?" _

"Hey, it _is_ you!" Steve exclaims as he, Bruce, and Tony catch up to us. We move to the side of the street so that we're not in the way of people.

"Oh, hey guys." Clint says, looking surprised, "What's up?"

"Not much." Tony replies, "We were just having lunch at 'Bill's Bar and Burger', but then Amity spotted you and, since she is so smart, leaped over the fence." He raises an eyebrow at me and I give him a sheepish look.

"_I...I wanted to see Clint…" _

"Clearly."

Steve turns to Clint and asks, "So, what are you doing here? I thought SHIELD agents stayed on the Helicarrier… or wherever the SHIELD base is now."

"They're using a base in Washington D.C. while the Helicarrier is getting fixed." Clint says, shrugging, "And… uh… I'm kind of on probation right now."

"_What?" _My eyes widen, "_Why?" _

The archer looks a little awkward and leans against a pole. "I… uh… it's a thing that all the agents that were under Loki's control have to do. I mean, they're not under control anymore, but everybody has had… after effects. Like, little spasms or panic attacks. So, Director Fury ordered that everyone that was under Loki's control are to be discharged briefly and go to therapy sessions."

"Does that include you?" Bruce asks.

Clint sighs, "It didn't at first. I wasn't getting any panic attacks or spasms and the doctors assumed it was because of my one-on-one treatment from Amity." He looks down at me and I wag my tail, "But then I tried shooting an arrow. I went to the training room, picked up my bow and I was just… instantly smothered in memory from when I was under that bastard's control. I couldn't shoot straight, I could barely get myself to let go of an arrow, so now I'm on probation. And my therapist is an _idiot._"

"Oh, that's horrible." Steve says, his voice soft, "I'm so sorry." Meanwhile, I'm staring at Clint, an idea already forming in my head.

"_Hey!" _I say sharply, making the foursome turn to me, "_Why don't you come stay at the Tower? I could be your therapist!" _

Bruce splutters and stammers, "Err, Amity…"

"_What?" _I tilt my head in confusion, "_Why not? There's no one better than a telepath when it comes to dealing with psychological issues. What's the problem?"_

Bruce opens his mouth, then closes it, then opens it again, only to make an uncertain noise. He turns to Tony, whose expression I can't quite read, and asks warily, "Uhh… I mean, can he…?"

Tony gazes at Clint and then says briskly, "Sure."

"Really?" the archer says in surprise.

Tony shrugs, "Yeah, why not? And while we're at it, why don't we invite all of the other Avengers as well? I mean, Bruce, Amity, and Steve are already staying in the tower and once you come, there's no doubt Romanoff will soon follow." I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or not. It sounds like he is, but I think he means what he says.

"Oh." Clint says, sounding slightly confused like I am, "Well, thanks. I'll have to clear it up with SHIELD, but I think they'll let me ditch my crappy therapist for Amity."

"Where are you staying?" Steve asks, "Do you need any help packing?"

"Yeah, thanks. I live on 62st street. It's only a few blocks from here."

Tony shifts and says, "Why don't you three take a cab there? Amity and I will get your room ready at the Tower."

Bruce seems to know that I'm about to get some sort of lecture from Tony because he gives him a soft warning look and says, "Okay, sure. We won't be long." Turning to Clint, he gestures, "Lead the way."

The archer nods and walks away with the super soldier and my owner in tow. Tony walks back to the restaurant, pays the bill, and then heads towards the car. I pad after him, my head held high and absolutely not regretting inviting Clint to stay in his tower without asking the genius first.

I jump into the front passenger seat and Tony starts driving. It's only when we're about halfway back to the Tower that he actually says anything.

"So, is this going to be a thing?" He questions and I look at him, "You randomly telling people that they can stay in _my _Tower?"

I frown and reply, "_It's not random- they need the help. And we know these people…. but to answer your question, yes." _Tony sighs and I continue, "_Come on, Tony, it could be fun!"_

"I'm not much of a team player, though." He pouts.

I arch an eye and say, "_Well, what about you and Bruce? You're a team when it comes to science, aren't you?" _

"That's different."

"_How so?" _

Tony lets out an exaggerated sigh, "He's actually _cool_! Meanwhile, Capsicle can't even operate a flip phone! All Clint will do is shoot arrows and wander around the Tower. And if Romanoff is in there, I will fear for my life." He pauses, and then adds, "If you see her, don't tell her I said that."

"_Fine." _I huff, "_But Clint is staying. Besides, Steve's leaving for a little while, so I can keep Clint busy. And, you know, he won't be staying _forever. _It's just until his mind gets better." _

Tony sighs again, "Okay, okay. I know I'm being grumpy, but it's just…" He wrinkles his nose, "_People_. Roaming around my Tower while I'm in the lab with Bruce, working on… whatever."

I chuckle and say, "_I hope you two aren't getting into any mischief down there."_

He smirks, "Mmm, I can't make any promises."

**Mmmm, much mischief. Okie dokie, so basically the rest of this story is how Amity gets all of the Avengers to end up in the Avengers Tower. And some other stuff. Amity is my bae.**

**... yeah, that's about it.**

**See ya next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles **


	22. Chapter 22

**After this, there's only two more chapters to go! Ahh, it's coming to an end! **

**The title of this chapter is from Birdy 'Strange Birds'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Twenty-Two

You've Always Loved the Strange Birds

"_Steve has been gone for awfully long." _I say to everyone in the morning.

Bruce, Tony, and Clint murmur in agreement. We're eating breakfast in the lounge, however I know that we're going to get hungry soon. Although Steve hadn't stayed with us for very long, we got used to him making breakfast. According to Tony, before the super soldier, Pepper had been the one making food. So, let's just say the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist is, sadly, not a good cooker. Neither are Bruce or Clint. I'm a dog, so that's a good excuse.

The breakfast that we managed to scrounge up consists of orange juice, bagels and cream cheese/jam, and cut up fruits that don't really taste very good. Thank you very much, Tony. God knows where he found them.

I'm currently eating a bagel with peanut butter. On my list of favorite foods, peanut butter is very high up. It's just a bit too… sticky.

"I just…" Bruce says, "hate how SHIELD is barely telling us anything about the mission. He's been gone for over a week and they expect us to just be fine with the answer 'it's a very busy mission'?"

"SHIELD's just a bunch of annoying jerks." Tony grumbles, sipping his orange juice.

Clint frowns, "Hey!" He pauses, and then says, "But yeah."

"_How long do missions usually take?" _I ask the archer.

He shrugs and replies, "There's no 'usually' when it comes to missions. They can take either a couple of days or more than a year."

"Well, he's a super soldier." Tony says, trying to sound casual, "He can probably handle whatever SHIELD's enemies have to throw at him."

"Yeah." Clint murmurs. We continue to eat in silence, listening to the faint chatter of the TV. I frown at the stickiness in my mouth and look around for something to drink. Bruce's glass of orange juice is on the coffee table, but I hesitate. Orange juice and peanut butter? That probably won't taste very good.

I'm suddenly snapped out of my thoughts when I notice Clint tapping his fingers on his knee. He's staring off into the distance, as if contemplating something. In the time that he's been with us, the archer has been completely fine. He hasn't had any panic attacks or spasms or anything, but he also hasn't picked up his bow. I once recommended that he practice shooting one day when we were bored, but he quickly made up an excuse not to and started doing something else.

I think back to the day we were talking to him near the Rockefeller Center. He had mentioned not being able to shoot properly due to the side-effects of Loki's control. I frown. If he doesn't even _try _to shoot an arrow, then how will he ever get better?

Looking up at him, I hesitate before going into his mind. He's actually pondering about going down to Tony's training room (yes, he has one. He even bought some targets for Clint) and attempting to practice shooting, but then remembers how his mind was flooded with memories of him doing bad things under Loki's control and dismisses the idea.

I plunge deeper into his mind and pull up good memories of him using his bow and arrow. I make him remember the feeling of power as he pulls back an arrow, and the thrill of letting it fly, and the triumph of hitting his target. Slowly, he goes back to the idea of practicing, becoming more and more convinced until-

"I think I'm gonna go down to the training room." He blurts out suddenly, standing up. Bruce and Tony glance at him in surprise while I puff out my chest in victory.

"_Good idea." _I say, "_I think I'll go with you." _

"Okay." Clint nods and then heads towards the elevator. I move to follow him, but Bruce stops me.

"Uh, Amity…" my owner gestures to his mouth and says, "Peanut butter."

I blink in confusion and then realize what he means. Narrowing my eyes, I focus on getting the peanut butter off of my tongue. It turns out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be.

"Nne-uh. Nne-uh. Nne-uh." My tongue flickers out repeatedly as I try to scrape the peanut butter off with my teeth. The persistent butter sticks on stubbornly. I grunt and continue to flick out and then draw back my tongue, "Nne-uh, nne-uh. Grr, geth off!"

I hear chuckling above me and look up to see Tony, Bruce, and Clint snickering. Tony has his phone out and is no doubt taking a video. Despite them not being able to understand me, I bark, "Noth funneh!"

They crack up and I growl. Turning around, I stalk away in search of water.

Stupid peanut butter.

* * *

I hop up onto a bench and turn around, sitting with a good view of the training arena. Clint slowly takes his bow out of his bag and looks at it. For a moment, he pauses and I'm afraid he might change his mind and back out. Then, he sets it aside and takes out his quiver of arrows. Picking up both of them, he heads towards the target and stops a few meters away from it.

I watch intently as he slowly knocks an arrow and pulls the string, lifting up his bow to aim. He stays frozen for a few moments, gazing at the target with sharp eyes. I don't want to intervene right away, just wanting to see him do what he can do first. As I expected, he lets out a loud sigh and lowers his bow.

"I can't." He mutters, shaking his head, "I can't. The memories, I just…"

"_It's okay, Clint." _I say, "_Don't worry, I'll help you through this."_

"What do I do?" He asks, glancing at me.

I ponder about it for a few moments before replying, "_Try again. I'll just be in your mind… if that's okay with you."_

"It's fine." He says. The archer lifts up his bow again and pulls back the string. I stretch my mind out to his and watch as bad memories rise to his attention. Telepathically pushing them back, I pull up better memories of him shooting arrows. I feel him begin to relax and cautiously back out of his mind.

Clint stares at the target for a few moments, and then finally shoots. The arrow whizzes through the air and smacks into the target. Unfortunately, it misses the center by a good few inches.

The archer sighs in disappointment, but I try to cheer him up. "_Hey, that was good!" _I say brightly, "_You managed to hit the target, didn't you?" _

Clint knits his eyebrows and grumbles, "Well, SHIELD expects me to hit much smaller targets. My arrows will be whizzing right past them!"

"_Well…" _I search for something to say, "_It's a start." _

Clint frowns at the target and then sighs. I feel my heart lurch as he takes off his quiver, "Maybe we should try again tomorrow."

"_What?" _I exclaim, jumping off the bench. I trot over and try to go in front of him as he heads towards his bag. "_But you barely did anything!" _I protest.

"I know!" He snaps sharply, surprising me, "I know I barely did anything because I _can't_ do anything. Loki used me; I could see what he was making me do. I knew what was happening, but I…" He cuts himself off and shakes his head, bending down to put his stuff away.

I step in front of him and say, "_None of that was your fault. You might somehow think it is, but it's not. And you can't just mope here and feel sorry for yourself. Your life has to keep on going, no matter how many bumps in the road you stumble upon. Just- think of it like this; An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards. You are the arrow. When life is pulling you back, it just means you're about to fly into something great." _I turn and take his bow out of his bag. Thrusting it into his hands, I order, "_So just focus and keep aiming."_

Clint gazes at me, looking somewhat dumbfounded. I frown and ask, "_What?"_

He smiles and shakes his head, "You should be a preacher, you know that? Or a motivational speaker."

I flick my ear, "_Thank you. Now try again." _

"Yes ma'am."

The archer picks up his bow and quiver and walks towards the target again. Stopping a few meters away, he knocks and arrow and lifts up his bow, pulling the string as he does. As he aims, I plunge into his mind and force away the bad memories which are already beginning to surface.

He releases the arrow much sooner than I expected and it lets out a loud _TWACK! _when it hits the target. Surprised, I jerk out of his mind and see that the arrow still didn't hit the center, but is definitely closer than it was last time.

"_Better!" _I cheer, encouraging him.

Clint smiles and says softly, "Yeah." He looks hopeful, but I can tell from his tone that he isn't satisfied.

"_Again." _I order and he knocks another arrow. This time, I go into his mind, push the bad memories far back, and then quickly get out. When he shoots the arrow, I subtly give it a telekinetic nudge so that it hits the bullseye.

Clint perks up and grins, "Yes! I did it! I did it!"

"_Good job!" _I congratulate, walking over and rubbing my head against his leg affectionately, "_I knew you could do it!" _

The archer looks down at me and opens his mouth to say something. Before he can, however, Jarvis speaks up, "_**Mr. Stark is requesting your presence in the lounge. He says he has a surprise." **_

"Tell him I'll be there soon." Clint says, knocking another arrow, "I want to practice a bit more. You can go ahead if you want, Amity."

"_Okay." _I say, turning around and padding towards the elevator. Telekinetically pushing the button, I step in and patiently wait as it takes me to the top levels of the tower where the lounge is. With a ding, the elevator comes to a stop and I pad out.

I immediately spot three men chatting next to the couch. I recognize Bruce and Tony as they turn to look at me. When the third man glances over his shoulder and smiles, I let out a whine of joy, "_Steeeeeeeevve!"_

I quickly dash over to him, tail flashing and whimpering in excitement. Steve turns around fully and I notice that he has something in his arms. When I realize what it is, I skid to a stop and stare at the small bundle of fur.

It's a puppy.

Steve smiles while Tony laughs at my reaction. "Hi, Amity." The super soldier says, kneeling down, "I missed you." I don't reply, staring at the puppy blankly. Steve looks down at it and says, "I found him while I was on my mission. His mother accidentally got caught in the crossfire and now he's all alone, so I brought him here."

He reaches out and gently sets the puppy down in front of me. I blink at him, dumbfounded. The puppy is probably the smallest dog I've ever seen, his bones sticking out and fur hanging loosely on his skin. He looks so young that he can't be more than three weeks old. His tan-and-white pelt is grubby and ragged. He has a bobtail and huge ears, although his left ear is crippled and limp against his temple. When he looks up at me, I am surprised when I see that his left eye, like his ear, is abnormal. His right eye is a typical honey brown color, but his left eye is startlingly blue. It's so bright and pale that it almost looks white.

The puppy lets out a thin whine as he stares up at me, shivering as he crouches on the floor. I blink again and tilt my head.

Overall, he's the strangest-looking dog I've ever seen.

….

…. Not that it matters.

My motherly instinct immediately takes over and I soften my gaze, laying down so that my face is closer to the pup's. He scrambles back a couple of steps and I resist wrinkling my nose at his stench. Making myself look as kind as possible, I say softly, "Hello, little pup. I'm Amity."

The pup gives me a wary look and asks with a quivering voice, "What is this place? All of these scents- they hurt my nose."

"You're in a place called Stark Tower." I reply gently, "In a city called New York. You'll get used to the scents eventually, don't worry."

The pup doesn't look convinced, but instead asks, "How did I get here? That human that took me kept talking about all of these confusing things that I didn't understand."

"That human's name is Steve." I say, glancing at the super soldier, "He's actually very nice. The place you were in was very dangerous, so he brought you here. Those other two humans are called Bruce and Tony; Bruce is my owner."

He glances at them, pausing for a few moments, and then whines in fear, "I don't wanna be here. I wanna go home."

At the sound of fear in his voice, my heart clenches and I try to reassure him, "Aww, it's okay! This place isn't so bad… What's your name, by the way?"

The pup sniffles and mumbles, "Um… I don't… Mama said we don't get names until we're older, so-" His eyes suddenly widen and he exclaims, "Mama! Where is she? I heard the loud noise and she hid me under some hard stuff while she went to go help my sister, but she never came back. Did the hu- did Steve bring her too?"

I hesitate, not wanting to tell him that his mother died, and reply, "No… she's not here. But it's okay; I'm here." I scoot closer to him and he takes a half-step back.

Tilting his head, he asks, "What was your name again?"

"Amity."

"Amity…" he echoes, looking as thoughtful as a pup can look.

It takes me a few moments to realize that Tony is calling my name. "Amity!" I jerk and look over at him, seeing the three men gazing at us.

"What did he say?" Steve asks.

I stand up and reply, "_He wanted to know where he was, so I told him. When I asked him what his name was, he said he didn't have one-" _

"What are you doing?" The pup's voice interrupts me and I look down to see him staring at me with curiosity. I ponder about keeping my powers a secret, but then dismiss the idea. Why bother? He's going to find out eventually.

"I… uh…" I reply slowly, "I'm a telepath. And telekinetic."

The pup frowns and asks, "What do those words mean?"

"Uhh, well, to be a telepath means to be able to read minds and talk to people telepathically." I answer, "I was just telling Steve, Tony, and Bruce what you were saying because they can't understand you. And to have telekinetic powers means to be able to lift and move things with your mind."

The pup gives me an incredulous look and says stubbornly, "I don't believe you! There's no way that's possible!" He suddenly doesn't seem so shy anymore, which is a good thing.

"Oh, yeah?" I mock-challenge him. Looking around, I notice a thread hanging off of the couch and use my powers to rip it off. Telekinetically bringing the thread over to us, I dangle it in front of the pup while his eyes widen.

"No way!" He exclaims, perking up immediately, "That's so cool! _I _wanna be tele-kan… whatever you just said."

I laugh and wave the thread closer. He rears up on his hind legs and bats at it. The three men in the room chuckle and I glance at them cheerfully.

"I guess he knows about your powers now." Bruce comments.

I shrug and Tony asks, "So… what should we name him?"

At the same time, the elevator dings and Clint walks out. We all look at him as he walks in and stops in front of the puppy. For a moment, he just stares at him as the pup plays with the thread, oblivious to the person behind him. Steve opens his mouth to explain, but Clint interrupts him with one word.

"Arrow."

The pup seems to finally notice the archer because he starts and whirls around. Yelping in surprise, he ducks under me and peeks out from behind my leg. I wag my tail in amusement and poke his head gently with my nose, "It's okay. His name is Clint. He's also very friendly."

I look back at the archer, but he's already back in the elevator. Once the doors close, I ask the guys, "_What'd he say?"_

"Arrow." Bruce replies.

Tony frowns and rolls his eyes, "Well, why'd he say that and then just leave?"

"Um." Steve says, "I think he was referring to the pup. That the pup should be named Arrow, which, actually, is not a bad name."

Tony purses his lips and grunts, "Huh, Arrow. Eh, I guess. Does he like that name, Amity?"

I turn to the pup, who is listening to the conversation quietly, and ask in Dog language, "Do you like the name Arrow? For you, I mean."

"Arrow?" The pup asks, "What does that mean?"

I sit back down and reply, "It's this cool thing that's basically a stick with feathers on one end and a pointy arrowhead on the other end. People like Clint, called archers, shoot arrows at things with their bows. I'll show you what one looks like later, but it's a good thing. I think you'll like it."

"Oh, okay then!" the pup gives a little hop of excitement, "I'm Arrow! I have a name now! Yay!"

"Yes you do, little Arrow." I chuckle as Arrow wags his stumpy tail, making his whole rump wiggle. He turns towards Tony, Bruce, and Steve and cautiously but determinedly walks over to them. He stops in front of Steve and tilts his head up, looking at the three.

"Hello, humans!" He yaps happily, "My name is Arrow!"

The three chuckle even though they can't understand him. As Steve bends down to pet the little dog, I feel my heart swell in joy. My life just got a whole lot more interesting.

**Because Amity needs a little baby-boo and why the hell not? Also... I do what I want. ALSO... anybody notice the new story cover?**

**(Also, Arrow is a corgi puppy) **

**K, cya next Sunday!**

**(bleh, that'll be my last Sunday of vacation. Tears)**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	23. Chapter 23

**SundAAAAAAAYYY! Bleh, this is the last day of my vacation. Tomorrow I start highschool O.O Ugh**

**Anywho, here's the new chapter**

**The title of this chapter is from First Aid Kit 'Wolf'**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Marvel**

Chapter Twenty-Three

Wolf Mother, Where You Been?

It doesn't take very long for Arrow to open up. Once we got him cleaned and fed, he was bouncing around the Tower and getting into all kinds of mischief. He's extremely curious and adventurous. Tony, Bruce, Steve, and Clint have gotten used to having Arrow around and he is already comfortable with them. He sometimes follows Clint or Steve around or watches Tony and Bruce doing science, but he usually hangs out with me.

I soon find that life is definitely more interesting with Arrow. Everyday with him is unpredictable and filled with little adventures, whether it be playing hide-and-seek in Tony's labyrinth of cars in the basement, or messing around with Jarvis. This one time we even started crawling through the air vents. To our surprise, though, we ran into Clint, who told us to get out and that it was too dangerous for dogs to be in air vents. He ignored my question as to why he was there.

Right now, I'm laying on Bruce's bed with Arrow, who is chatting excitedly about what we should do tomorrow. My owner is in the bathroom, washing up before he goes to sleep.

"Okay, so first we're going to play hide-and-seek in the basement." Arrow yaps, his rump wiggling in excitement, "And then we're going to go up floor-by-floor and explore the whole entire Tower!"

"Wow, really?" I say encouragingly, "That's going to be fun!"

"I know, right?" He yelps. He tries to spin around in a circle, but trips halfway and rolls over. He immediately bounces right back up as if nothing happened and jumps over to me on his stubby legs.

"It's going to be great! I'm tired." He says, rearing up on his hind legs and then falling down on my stomach. I stifle a groan as he rolls onto his back and nuzzles my soft belly fur.

I glance down at him in time to see him close his eyes. My heart melts at the sight of his small form and I lean towards him, gently licking his forehead. "Sleep well, Arrow." I murmur.

"You too, Amity." He replies, snuggling closer. For a few moments, there's silence between us, the only sound coming from Bruce as he brushes his teeth. Then, Arrow speaks up again, "Amity?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

I look at him and see him gazing at me shyly from behind a clump of my fur. I tilt my head and nuzzle him lovingly. "I love you too, Arrow." I say softly. Since his pelt isn't very thick, I can see him blush. Chuckling, I curl up around him and he closes his eyes again, snuggling closer. Soon, his breathing evens out and I know he's asleep.

Looking up, I watch Bruce turn off the bathroom light and walk into the room. He takes in the scene before him and smiles, carefully climbing into the bed so that he doesn't wake up Arrow.

"I see you two are getting along well." He says softly once he's settled.

I want to crawl closer to him, but don't want to wake Arrow so I stay put. Instead, I reply, "_He is just the cutest, sweetest thing I've ever met. Besides you, of course."_

"Mmm." Bruce hums, "He _is _really friendly. Also pretty funny. A bit too mischievous for my liking, but you are more than capable of keeping him out of trouble."

I jerk my head slightly and ask knowingly, "_We're not talking about Arrow anymore, right?" _

My owner looks at me, frowning in confusion, "Huh?"

"_You and Tony."_ I say and he sighs, sinking into his pillow.

"Not this again."

Of course, being the good dog that I am, I bring it up again, "_I haven't been hanging out with you two as much lately. So, how are things going with my little lovebirds?" _

"Lovebi-?" Bruce groans and shakes his head, "We are _not _lovebirds! We're just friends, okay?"

"_Well, how should I know if that's true or not?" _I say, "_I'm not down there with you guys. I don't know _what _you do while I'm with Arrow." _

Bruce sighs and turns off the bedside lamp, "Good night, Amity."

I roll my eyes and rest my head on the bed. It only takes me ten seconds to decide to go into my owner's mind. Stretching my conscience towards his, I mindfully avoid the Hulk and instead go to Bruce's memories. The most recent ones are with Tony in the lab. I don't know what they're working on, but instead focus on how they interact. Tony is friendly and teasing as always. The two work side-by-side, balancing each other out with their different and yet similar knowledge.

At one point, Tony's hand accidentally brushes Bruce's and my owner feels electrical sparks where their skin made contact. I smirk knowingly. After that, I begin to notice just how often Tony 'accidentally' makes physical contact with Bruce. Each time, it makes my owner's heart flutter, even if he doesn't notice it.

Satisfied, I pull out of his mind, having all of the evidence I need. Curling closer around Arrow, I let out a long, happy sigh and fall asleep.

* * *

_Morning_

"Amiiiiittyyy! Amity, wake up! It's morning, wake up!"

I feel a sharp prod on my belly and jerk up, trying to blink the sleepiness away. Looking down, I see Arrow batting at my stomach and rolling around. "Come on, get up!" He yaps, rump wiggling in excitement.

Parting my jaws in a huge yawn, I glance out the window and see that it's barely dawn. "Arrow," I groan, resting my head and closing my eyes, "It's too early. Go back to sleep."

"Noooo!" He protests. Scrambling over my leg, he collapses on my head and rolls onto his back, "The sky's awake, so _I'm _awake, so we have to play!"

"Play by yourself." I mumble, turning my head so he falls off.

I hear him stumble to his paws, hesitate, and then say, "Fine. I'll just play with Bruce."

"Mmm, okay." I sigh as he climbs up the bed. Then, my eyes snap open and I yelp, "Wait, what?!"

Jerking up, I try to stop Arrow but it's too late. The small pup, who is already on my owner's chest, rears up and slams his paws into Bruce's face, "Hayaaa!"

"What the-?" Bruce startles awake, causing Arrow to fall off. Immediately, he tries to calm himself from the miniature heart attack he just received.

"Arrow!" I scold, "I told you that you can't give Bruce a fright or he'll get angry." The pup does know about all of our powers, but I can't exactly explain the Hulk to him.

"Sorry." Arrow mumbles, looking at his paws, "...Can we go play now?"

"No." I say sternly, "I told you that it's too-"

"Amity!" Bruce interrupts, still looking startled, "What just happened?"

I sigh and reply, "_Arrow tried to wake me up because he wanted to play, but I wanted to sleep so he went to go wake you up. I didn't stop him in time. Sorry."_

My owner turns to look at the clock, then flops back down onto his pillow. "It's only 8am." He moans, and then sighs, "Erg, might as well wake up…"

Arrow perks up and says to me, "Ha! I told you it's not too early! Come on, let's go play!" He bunches up his tiny legs and then leaps off of the bed.

"No, we're going to eat breakfast first and then play." I correct, sliding off the bed after him. The pup rolls his blue and brown eyes and scampers towards the door. "Let's wait for Bruce." I say, sitting down.

My owner is already starting to clean himself up. As he changes his shirt, he suggests, "Hey, do you guys want to go to the park today?"

"_That's a great idea!" _I say enthusiastically, "_It'll be Arrow's first time going!" _To said pup, I ask, "Hey, instead of exploring the Tower, do you want to go to the park?"

"What's the park?" He asks, tilting his head.

"It's this big place with a bunch of grass and trees and friendly dogs." I explain, "It's really fun, I think you'll love it!"

"But what about exploring the Tower?" He whines.

I shake my head and reply, "We'll do that tomorrow, I promise. But don't worry, the park is awesome!"

"Okay." He mumbles, but he doesn't look convinced.

I turn to Bruce, who was watching the conversation with a bemused expression, and say, "_He's totally excited! Let's go!" _

* * *

Clint and Steve decided to stay behind, but Tony agreed to come with us. When he did, I caught Bruce's eye and gave him a wink. My owner had blushed slightly and turned away.

Turns out, Arrow really likes car rides. While we were in one of Tony's topless cars, the little pup had his paws on the door and was sticking his head out of the open window. Meanwhile, I was paranoid and keeping a telekinetic hold on him in case he fell.

Now, we're standing at the entrance of the park. Tony and Bruce are already going ahead of us, but Arrow is still standing in one spot, jaw dropped. I chuckle as his head whips around wildly, trying to take in everything.

"I told you." I say, wagging my tail.

"Wow!" he breathes, still looking around.

I suddenly pause, noticing something peculiar. Tilting my head, I watch his head twist more than necessary, especially on his left side. I frown and say, "Arrow, look straight ahead for me, please."

"Huh?" the pup gives me a confused look, then does what I say, "Uh, okay."

Lifting my paw, I wave it near his left blue eye and ask, "Can you see what I'm doing?"

"Um, no. What _are _you doing?" Arrow frowns, turning to me. He looks surprised to see my paw near his face, but then says, "Come on, are we going to go in or not?"

"Of course, let's go." I say, leading the way. As we walk, I contemplate the new information. So… he's blind in his left eye? Well, I can't exactly say I'm surprised. What with that blue eye and his crippled ear, I could only assume that there has to be _something _wrong. But, whatever. I mean, this doesn't really matter. Director Fury only has one eye and he fairs just fine, so why should Arrow be any different?

Shaking my head, I start to tell Arrow all about the park. "So, there's different groups of dogs that hang out at the park. I'll only introduce you to the good ones, so don't worry. Then there's a cool forest, a big field, and a lot of other awesome places to play. There is also the places where humans do stuff, but they're not that cool and are always crowded."

I lead him up a hill and start towards the big field. "Where are we going first?" Arrow asks, "Are we going to see some of your friends?"

"We might." I say, "But it's a big park, so we might not be able to run into them."

"Okay." the small pup says, staying close to my side. I climb up the hill, wanting to show him the field where the main action is. We pass by a few dogs, who glance at Arrow curiously before moving on. Frowning a bit, he asks, "Why are they looking at me weirdly?"

Since I don't have the heart to tell him that it's because of his odd appearance, I instead lie, "Oh, I bet it's because you're so adorable! Who doesn't like to look at cute puppies?"

Arrow blushes cheerfully and accepts my answer, "Okie dokie. Where are we- WHOA!" He interrupts his question with a loud exclamation. I chuckle as we reach the top of the hill, gazing down at the massive field of dogs. As per usual, the Fitness Freaks are running around and doing exercise while the Drama Geeks cheer them on. Arrow's eyes widen and his jaw drops as he gazes at the scene before him.

"This is so cool!" he yaps excitedly, his small tail wagging. A few meters below us, a large brown dog leaps into the air, catches a frisbee, then rolls over as he lands before hopping back onto his feet. Arrow perks up and says, "I wanna do that!"

Before I can stop him, he lunges forward and skids down the slope. Unfortunately, he trips over his little paws once more and starts tumbling, rolling over and over like a miniature sausage. I jump after him, carefully but quickly making my way down the hill. Arrow reaches the bottom before I do and lands on his butt, looking a little dazed.

Suddenly, the same dog from before crashes into him, knocking the pup over as he attempts to catch a frisbee. Anger swells up within me and I let out a snarl of rage, bounding over to them and placing myself over Arrow.

"Hey!" I snap sharply, making the dog look over at me in surprise, "You watch where you're going, mister! You nearly crushed my son!"

The dog glances at Arrow skeptically and then at me. "Your _son_?" he says bluntly, "Yeah, right. Keep him out of the field- he got in my way."

"Got in your-" I narrow my eyes, nearly spitting in fury, "Listen here, mutt, if I see you carelessly careen into my _son _or any other dog again, I swear, I will make sure you'll never be able to catch another frisbee again!" For good measurement, I shove my muzzle close to his and snarl, "Do you hear me?"

A flicker of uncertainty passes through his eyes and the dog hesitates, clearly not wanting to engage in a fight with a pissed off mother dog. After a moment, he takes a step back and dips his head, "Sorry, ma'am. My mistake. I'll be more careful in the future."

Turning around, he picks up the fallen frisbee before making his way back to his owner. As he passes by Arrow, he lets out a muffled, "Sorry."

I watch him walk away, and then turn to the small pup. "Are you alright, Arrow?" I ask worriedly, sniffing him for injuries.

He stands up and shakes his pelt, making his large ears flap. Gazing up at me with wide, multi-colored eyes, he says, "You called me your son."

I blink at him and then shift my weight, suddenly wary, "Are- aren't you?" I'm worried; I don't want to seem like I'm trying to replace his real mother. But I really do feel like he's my son, in a way.

Arrow doesn't hesitate and says, "Uh huh. So, uh, you're my Mama." He glances at his paws and shuffles them nervously, "Can I, uh, call you that?"

My heart melts a little bit and I respond sweetly, "You can call me whatever you like, Arrow."

His stumpy tail wags as he beams up at me, "Okay, Mama."

* * *

We decide to avoid the field as we walk around. I give Arrow a tour of the park, showing him the human places, the forest, the rivers, and all of the cool spots. At first, I was wary to introduce him to the cliques, but then realized that not all of them are bad influences. I even found a new group of dogs- a bunch of mothers hanging out in a shaded area while their pups play within their view. Maximus and Holly never mentioned them before, so I named this group by myself; the Maternal Hounds. Not a bad name, if I do say so myself.

So, now, I'm lying down with three other mothers while our pups tussle together a few feet away. The shaded area is atop a hill with a good view of the street where the humans walk. A few people are selling food in stands, so this place is a bit more crowded than the rest.

"I don't think it matters that Arrow is a bit different." says a large, fluffy, white dog named Jenny lying next to me. Her three pudgy pups are wrestling with Arrow. Jenny glances at me and continues, "The pups don't seem to notice- or mind."

Another Maternal Hound on my other side- she's a smaller black-and-white dog named Honey- adds to the conversation, "Pups will be pups, no matter what they look like."

"Besides," Amy, the third mother dog, says, "They're all getting along just fine. You have nothing to worry about."

I wag my tail in appreciation and nod, "Thanks, guys. That reassured me a lot."

Honey shrugs and says, "It's nothing. Must be hard, though, to be a single mother, even if your pup is adopted. Good thing you only have one! I can't imagine looking after my five pups all by myself." She glances at her black-and-white children, who are investigating a beetle on the ground.

"Arrow isn't much trouble." I say, "He's actually quite fun-" I'm suddenly interrupted by a loud bark.

"Amity!"

We all glance over to see Caspian running towards us. He has an excited look on his face, no doubt delighted to see me here. He still hasn't gotten over his fancy for me.

The male dog slows to a halt and collapses on the ground in front of us, panting heavily. His eyes are bright as he crawls closer to me. "Hey, Amity!" he pants, "It's great to see you!"

"It's great to see you too, Caspian." I respond politely. Glancing at my new friends, I introduce them, "Caspian, these are Jenny, Amy, and Honey. Ladies, this is Caspian. He's my friend."

The female dogs all murmur their greetings and Caspian dips his head. Then, he seems to notice the pups nearby and glances at them. After a moment, he glances back at us, and then back at them, and then back at us.

"You're all mothers." he states, having drawn that obvious conclusion. We all nod and I note how his expression falls a bit. "Oh," he says softly, "I, uh, didn't know you had pups, Amity."

"Pup." I correct him, "Just the one. His name is Arrow- he's the tan-and-white one over there."

Caspian glances over at my adoptive son, who is currently rolling around on his back in a patch of long grass. He seems to realize that the pup looks nothing like me and glances back at me, "Oh, so you're his adoptive mother. That makes sense- you didn't look very pregnant the last time I saw you, and you wouldn't have come without your pup, sooo…"

He shakes his head and scoots closer. I lift my chin slightly, trying not to pay attention to small amount of distance between us. Jenny, Amy, and Honey are all watching us closely.

"Anyway, you'll never guess what happened." he says, looking excited again, "Maximus and Holly- you know them, right? I've mentioned them once or twice… actually, I think I've seen you with them a couple of times."

"Yeah, I know them." I say, nodding, "They're pretty cool."

"They're _together_!" he blurts and my eyes widen, "I know, right?! I always thought they were just friends, but apparently not anymore!"

"Wow!" I exclaim, "I never would have thought…"

"It gets better," he continues, "I just saw them- _together- _hanging out with the Romantics!"

"Oh, gosh." I groan, rubbing my face with my paws, just as Honey laughs, "Love is in the air." I glance at her and she winks at me. Frowning in confusion, I notice that Amy and Jenny are giving me weird looks too.

Oblivious, Caspian stands up and says, "Well, I've got to go. I just wanted to tell you that. I'll see you later, Amity." To my surprise, he leans down and licks me on the cheek quickly before turning and dashing away.

There's a moment of silence, and then Jenny says, "I guess you won't be a single mother for long, then."

My eyes widen more and I splutter, "What? No, no, no- we're just friends. Nothing more."

Amy chuckles and says, "You might be, but he isn't. Did you see how he acted? He's so obviously crazy about you."

"You should give him a chance." Honey encourages, "It's funner to be in a couple than to be single. And a mother."

"I don't need any help raising Arrow." I straighten up, suddenly defensive, "I'm doing just fine on my own."

Jenny rests her fluffy white tail on my back and gives me a caring look. "I have no doubt about that." she says soothingly, "But Arrow _is _a male and he's going to need a male role model in his life. Better it be someone you like than one of the Delinquents."

"And what's wrong with Caspian?" Amy adds, "He seems nice and friendly."

"There's nothing wrong with him." I say, shifting uncomfortably, "I just… I'll probably just screw something up with a… a… relationship."

"Everybody does." Honey reassures, "But if he loves you enough, it won't matter how many times you screw up."

I don't know how to reply to that, so I rest my head on my paws and hum, "Hmm." Thankfully, the three Maternal Hounds don't push the subject and we all fall silent. For a few minutes, we just watch the pups play with each other, occasionally calling out things like, "Careful." or, "Watch it."

Then, Arrow suddenly stops and stares at something in the human area down the hill. Narrowing my eyes, I stand up and walk over to him. He tilts his head, not acknowledging my presence, and asks, "What are Bruce and Tony doing?"

Following his gaze, I spot my owner and the genius seated next to each other on a bench. Their backs are turned to us and their heads are bent close together. The strange thing is that their lips are pressed against each other and their eyes are closed.

I remember in BBCSherlock how Mary and John were doing this. Ahh, this must be, like, an affection thing. Weird.

"I think that's what humans do to show their affection to each other." I explain to Arrow, "Uh, it's called kissing, I believe."

"Oh." he says, still gazing at them, "That's a bit strange. Are they together, then?"

I shrug and reply, "I guess. It's been coming on for a while, though, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were. It's kind of cute actually."

Arrow looks a little skeptical, but simply nods and says, "Sure." Then, he turns around and goes back to playing with the pups.

I stay there for a few moments, watching Tony and Bruce as they kiss. It takes longer than I thought it would, but eventually they break apart and gaze at each other. Their eyes are alight with love and I smirk, tempted to send an '_I told you so_' to Bruce's mind. Instead, I turn and leave the two lovebirds in peace.

* * *

Tony and Bruce act like nothing happened when they come to tell us that it's time to go. I try to give Bruce a knowing look, but he seems completely oblivious. He keeps paying more attention to Tony than me, which is a bit annoying, but I have Arrow to distract me. As well as what the Maternal Hounds said about Caspian. I guess I could pursue a relationship with him… just later. I'm not ready for that now. I need to build up my courage first. Maybe one of the Maternal Hounds could help me?

Anyway, we head back to the Tower, more than ready for an early dinner, when Tony receives a call from Clint.

"What's up, Birdy? Huh? We're already on our way- what's so important? I can't exactly make traffic move faster, you know. Fine, fine, we'll be there soon." He hangs up and Bruce gives him a questioning look. Sighing, he says, "Birdy's freaking out about something and is telling us to hurry up. He won't tell me what's the problem, though."

"That's a bit weird." My owner says, "I mean, for a SHIELD agent."

Tony waves his hand, "It's probably nothing."

It turns out to not be 'nothing'.

When we exit the elevator in the Tower, we're all pretty surprised to see Director Fury standing in the room with Natasha.

**One more chapter to go!**

**Yo, weird thing I discovered; on google drive, I Howled at the Moon With Friends and Face It All Together are both exactly 153 pages long. I didn't even intend to do that but it happened**

**Until next Sunday!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles**


	24. Chapter 24

**BLAH THIS IS SO SHORT I'M SORRRRRRYYYY! It was kind of rushed...**

**Wow, last chapter already? It feels like I just posted this story yesterday...**

**Hope you enjoy the last chapter!**

**The title of this story is from my brain.**

**DISCLAIMER: Plot twist- I DO own Marvel! Jk, I don't, but I wish I did.**

Chapter Twenty-Four

Epilogue

"Who is she, Mama?"

Arrow's voice pulls me away from the conversation before me. Tony wasn't exactly happy at seeing Director Fury and Natasha standing in his Tower. At first he got angry at them, then at Jarvis, and then at Clint and Steve. The two defended themselves by saying that they did in fact warn him by calling him, but they didn't tell him who was there because Fury told them not to.

Then Tony's anger turned back to the man in question. Eventually, Bruce, ever the mellow one- spare a few times- managed to calm him down and gently asked by Fury was here.

* * *

"_Right." Fury says, straightening up and giving Tony a stern look, "It has come to my attention that an obnoxious genius, a man with extreme anger issues, a outdated supersoldier, a telepathic and telekinetic mutant dog, and a mentally unstable master archer are all living together in this Tower."_

"_Yeah." Tony says bluntly, "Your point being?"_

"_I can't let that happen." Director Fury says equally as candidly._

_Tony wrinkles his nose and huffs, "No one asked for your permission, Fury."_

"_Which is another one of my problems." he retorts. _

_Tony frowns and lifts his chin, saying defiantly, "Well, what are you going to do about it, then?" _

_Director Fury glances over his shoulder at Natasha, smirks, and says, "I'm going to station Agent Romanoff here."_

"_What?!" Everybody exclaims in surprise. Natasha mimics Fury's smirk as her eyes flicker towards Clint. The archer is gazing at her excitedly._

"_Well, we might as well have an Avenger here who is also a SHIELD agent." she explains calmly, "Would you rather have a regular SHIELD agent instead?"_

"_No." Clint says, right as Tony counters, "Birdy, here, is a SHIELD agent."_

"_Agent Barton is still on probation for the time being, until he's completely mentally stable." Director Fury says, glancing at me, "I hope you've been helping him get better."_

"I have," _I reply somewhat cockily, _"He shot an arrow a while ago."

"_Good." he turns back to the group, "I already have agents on their way bringing Agent Romanoff's things here."_

_Tony holds up his hands and hisses, "Wait, wait- I never said this was okay!" _

_Director Fury narrows his eye at him and mocks, "No one asked for your permission, Stark." While the genius scowls, he continues, "You have no choice. Either Romanoff stays here, or the rest of you are going to have to leave. It's too dangerous for all of you to live here together without supervision." _

_Before Tony can argue more, Clint jumps to Natasha's defense, "Just let her stay here, Stark. She isn't so bad." _

"_Well, sorry if I don't want to get murdered in my sleep." Tony sneers at him. _

_Clint frowns and says, "She won't murder you." _

_Next to him, Natasha mutters under her breath, "No promises." _

_Director Fury claps his hands once, making Arrow jerk in surprise. "Well," the man says, "This matter is settled."_

"_No, it's not." Tony argues._

"_I'm going to head back to base." Fury continues as if he didn't say anything, "Agent Romanoff, begin your daily reports at 8pm tonight."_

_She nods and says, "Yes, sir." The director turns around and heads back towards the elevator. Tony tries to call out an argument to him, but Bruce nudges him and shakes his head. _

* * *

"Huh?" I turn to Arrow and tilt my head.

The small pup jerks his head towards the group of people and then looks up at me, repeating his question, "Who is she?"

I glance at Natasha, who is standing next to Clint, and reply, "That's Natasha Romanoff. She works with an organization called SHIELD- the man in here earlier, Director Fury, is their leader. She's a good lady, but you shouldn't get on her nerves."

"Oh," he says softly, "Okay." Turning, he surprises me by dashing over to the group and weaving into the middle. Natasha looks down at him and smiles a little. "Hi, Natasha!" he calls up to her happily, his wagging bobtail causing his whole rump to wiggle, "My name is Arrow! Welcome to the Tower!"

Bending down, Natasha gently scratches his head, making him squeal in glee. "When'd you guys get a puppy?" she asks, smiling down at Arrow.

"I brought him here from a mission." Steve explains, "Amity is his new mother."

Natasha glances at me and I walk over to the group. "_His name is Arrow." _I say, standing next to Bruce, "_And welcome to the Tower, Natasha."_

"Thanks." she says, straightening up. She looks at Arrow, and then at Clint, smiling, "Hmm, Arrow. I like it."

"Me too." the archer says, "I named him."

"Of course you did."

* * *

Natasha quickly gets used to living in the Tower. Just as soon, we get used to having her here. Tony is a little more reluctant, but Bruce distracts him in the lab as they do science. I'm still curious about what they're doing in there, but Arrow keeps me busy. We still play the usual games and explore the Tower, but now we tend to watch Natasha as she trains, Clint as he shoots or climbs through the air vents, or Steve… doing whatever it is that he does. Honestly, it seems like he's doing something new everyday.

We go to the park more often, which is fun. Arrow hangs out with his new friends while I hang out with the Maternal Hounds. Caspian comes to visit me almost every time, and each time the Maternal Hounds give me knowing looks. It's especially annoying when they hint or leave suggestions when we talk to him, making me turn into an awkward teenage pup.

One day, Caspian asks me to go on a walk with him. My heart fluttering, I politely say yes and we walk through the park, side-by-side. It actually turns out better than I thought it would. We just talk and laugh for the most part. It isn't until the end that I freak out.

Caspian says that he has to leave, since his owner is calling to him. I bid my goodbyes, but then he takes me by surprise by licking me on the cheek- again! I suck in a breath as he pulls away and winks, "Love you." Then, he turns around and dashes off towards his owner.

For a few minutes, I just stand there, frozen. My heart feels as if it's going to burst out of my chest and I struggle to catch my breath. Eventually, I calm my racing mind and head back to the Maternal Hounds, my legs feeling wobbly.

It's then that I realize that our 'walk' was actually a date.

* * *

A few months pass, in which I notice something odd about Arrow. It occurs to me while we're eating breakfast with the Avengers, the realization making me feel like I've been punched in the face.

"Arrow," I say sharply, making him look up at me, "You… You've grown!"

The pup, who doesn't look much like a pup anymore, glances at his body and then at me, "Yeah, I guess."

I'm still staring at him. "You used to be so small when I first met you." I say, suddenly somber.

Arrow wags his tail and reaches up to lick my chin, "I'm still a pup, though. Don't worry- it's not like I'm going to die of old age anytime soon!"

I frown, gazing at his body, which seems too big all of the sudden. His head almost reaches my elbows, whereas before they barely brushed past my chins. He's grown longer too. Of course, he isn't fully grown yet, but it still bothers me how big he's gotten in such a short time.

Looking up at the table of Avengers, I ask, "_Guys, does Arrow seem a little big to you? It's like he's grown over the night!" _

They all glance over at us on the ground. Bruce smiles and says, "He's a pup, Amity. Pups grow."

"_I know." _I say mournfully, "_It's awful. I want him to be my little puppy forever."_

The group chuckles and I turn back to Arrow. Tony clears his throat and says, "So, I've been meaning to ask you guys- are any of you Jewish?"

We all look at him, confused by the odd and random question. Clint raises an eyebrow and asks, "Why does that matter?"

"Christmas is coming." Tony says simply, "And I celebrate it every year. It's kind of a big thing here in the Tower."

"Oh." Steve says, glancing at the others, "Well, I think we're okay with celebrating Christmas."

"Yeah, why not?" Natasha says, shrugging, "It could be fun."

"I haven't celebrated it in a while." Clint says.

Tony grins and stands up, taking his plate to the sink, "Great. I have a list of things that I need you all to go shopping for. Of course, I can pay for it, but if we're all celebrating it, then we're all contributing to setting up."

"Alright, then." Bruce says, following the genius with his own plate in his hands.

Arrow glances at me in confusion and asks, "What's Christmas?"

I look at him and lay down, rolling onto my side slightly. He instinctively curls up beside my belly and gazes at me expectantly. I explain, "It's a human holiday in which they play music, talk, laugh, exchange presents. It happens during the winter, I think."

Arrow tilts his head, "Why do they do celebrate it?"

I simply shrug and reply, "I have no idea. The only thing I know about it comes from that one episode of Sherlock when they celebrated it. I'm pretty sure I showed you it. He's very good at playing the violin, don't you think?"

* * *

A cookie floats in the air.

I crouch at the edge of the room with Arrow, gazing at it eagerly as the wafer makes its way towards us. It's only a few feet away when Bruce swoops in like a hawk, snatching it out of the air and giving me a disapproving look.

"What did I say, Amity?" he scolds, "Cookies are bad for dogs and you're not allowed to eat them."

"_It's not fair!" _I protest, standing up indignantly, "_Everybody else can have cookies!" _

I jerk my head at the group of Avengers, who are all gathered around the top floor of the Tower. Every room has been decorated with Christmas stuff and the air is constantly smelling of pine-scented candles and cookies. A massive pine tree is perched in the corner, lighting up the room with its bright colors and ornaments. The TV is on, playing some old Christmas movie, while classic songs play softly in the background.

The Avengers are sitting the various couches, eating the snacks Steve put out on the table. The cookies smell amazing, but Bruce won't let Arrow or I have any.

"Everybody else is human." Bruce counters, turning around and sitting down next to Tony. The genius takes the cookie out of his hands and eats it. Bruce smiles at him and pats the empty space on his other side. I huff and trot over, leaping onto the couch next to him and then helping Arrow up.

Curling up, I rest my head on Bruce's leg and close my eyes, listening to the gang as they chat mildly.

"So, what do people do on Christmas nowadays?" Steve asks. This is his first Christmas in modern day.

Tony answers him, "Eh, just chill with friends, eat a bunch of sugary crap, watch old Christmas movies that play over and over every year. It's kind of just mellow. The real fun is on New Year's Eve. That's when you throw a huge party, get drunk, and count down to the new year!"

"Oh joy." Clint groans, "Can't wait for that."

"It's gonna be great." Tony says giddily, "I should invite a bunch of people."

"Or it could just be us." Bruce suggests and I peek an eye open. He and Tony are gazing at each other. Then, Bruce coughs awkwardly and corrects himself, "All of us, I mean."

Tony pauses before looking away, "Yeah, sure, that's good too."

I smirk and close my eyes again. They're so crazy for each other.

Tony clears his throat and sits up, "So, you guys up for a movie?"

* * *

We end up watching a really really _really _bad movie called 'Dinocroc vs Supergator'. Originally, Tony was searching for a Christmas movie playing on TV, but then he saw this on and was curious. For the past hour, we've all been making fun of the terrible movie, snickering loudly at the bad effects or mocking the pathetic acting. Despite the movie being horrible, the whole experience is quite enjoyable.

Clint chokes on his drink when Supergator jumps onto a truck, crushing the metal underneath it. He bursts out laughing, along with the others, and gasps, "Ohmygawd!"

Arrow chuckles and rubs his head against my belly, making me glance at him. His eyes sparkle at me lovingly as he nuzzles my side. I wag my tail and lick his cheek.

Just then, I notice the position of my owner and a certain genius. Looking over, I see that Bruce is leaning against Tony, his back against the other's chest while his head lays on his shoulder. Tony's arm is wrapped around the scientist and I notice him occasionally glance down at my owner. I sigh happily at the sight of the two cuddling adorably.

Turning back to Arrow, I curl up around him and do my own cuddling with him.

I didn't notice that I had fallen asleep, but when I wake up, most of the lights are off. Confused, I glance around and see that the TV is off and the table is cleared. Clint and Natasha are gone too.

Steve is leaning over me and I look up at him. The super soldier smiles and says softly, "Guys, it's late. You should go to sleep."

"_Oh, okay." _I whisper, carefully standing up. Arrow stirs at my movement and blinks his multicolored eyes open. I nudge him gently and say, "_Come on, Arrow, we're going to sleep in the room."_

The old pup stretches and lets out a high-pitched yawn. I huff and look at Steve, "_Where are Tony and Bruce?"_

Steve smirks slightly and glances to my side. I follow his gaze and spot Tony and Bruce lying together, both sleeping in each other's arms. I mimick Steve's smirk and gently hop onto the ground, turning to help Arrow down.

As we walk away, I can't help but feel excited for the conversation that is no doubt going to occur in the morning.

* * *

Bright light shines down on me and I open my eyes blearily. I'm lying with Arrow on the bed… which is empty besides us. Chuckling, I straighten up and reach my forepaws forward, stretching my body. Parting my jaws in a wide yawn, I faintly hear the door opening and closing.

When I open my eyes again, I see Bruce walking into the room. Freezing under my gaze, he gives me a sheepish look while I smirk knowingly.

"_So," _I say casually while rolling onto my side, "_How was your night with Tony?"_

My owner continues walking and climbs into the bed, careful not to wake up Arrow. "It was fine." he says simply, "I slept well."

"_Mmm, I'd imagine." _I say cheekily and he gives me a look. Swallowing a snicker, I continue, "_So, what's the status with you two lovebirds?" _

For once, Bruce doesn't object to me saying 'lovebirds'. Instead, he gazes at the blanket in front of him and mumbles, "Well… we talked."

"_Aaaand?" _I urge, "_Are you two together now? Did you kiss? Are you going to get married?" _

"Married!" Bruce splutters and then laughs, "Oh, Lord. I'm going to sleep, Amity."

"_But you already slept!" _I protest, "_And you didn't answer my question. Do I have to read your mind?" _I don't wait for an answer, already stretching my mind out to his.

"Don't threaten me like that- I _know _you don't read my mind." Bruce says, sinking into his pillows, "Right?" He pauses, and then asks again, "Right?"

I pull back into my mind and fall silent, my heart swelling happily. My owner lifts his head, looking at me, and I blurt out, "_You love Tony!" _

Bruce groans and drops his head back onto his pillow. I laugh and exclaim, "_You do! You do!" _

"Go back to sleep, Amity." he moans, "It's too early for this."

I snicker as he turns his back to me and closes his eyes. My tail, which is wagging wildly, accidentally slaps Arrow. The pup jumps to his paws in surprise, wobbling a bit at the sudden movement. He blinks and then focuses on my happy expression, sleepily slurring,

"What'd I miss?"

The End

**Yas, they're finally together! Ok, idk if I'm gonna make a sequel in which Amity is in Age of Ultron. I've been thinking about it, but I'm not sure. I'm kind of curious as to what she would be like around Vision or Wanda (since she and Wanda have really similar powers) but at the same time I'm really lazy when it comes to transcribing movies. Also, I'm currently writing like two other stories... but fanfics are easier than stories... and I would have the transcript to go off of instead of just whatever I come up with...**

**Agh, idk. I'll think about it. If you have any ideas, PM me please. **

**Anyway, tell me what you think of the ending! **

**Until... whenever I come back!**

**-Periwinkle Skittles **


End file.
